The president disclosed the secrets.
On Tuesday, the White House confirmed that some of the drones spotted over New Jersey and other areas in November had been authorized by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA). White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt shared the update, which was provided “directly” by President Donald Trump, clarifying the origin of the drones that had caused widespread attention and concern last year.
Leavitt explained that the FAA had authorized the drones flying over New Jersey for research and other purposes, and added that, in addition to the FAA-approved drones, there had been an increase in sightings of drones operated by hobbyists, as public curiosity about the phenomenon grew. “This was not the enemy,” Leavitt emphasized.
The drone sightings, which occurred in November and December, initially sparked alarm and led to an investigation by the FBI. A statement issued by the FBI in December requested that the public report any information about the drones, which had been spotted in several areas near the Raritan River in New Jersey. The FAA also implemented temporary flight restrictions in response to the surge in drone sightings. However, an FBI official later revealed that of the thousands of tips received, fewer than 100 led to further investigative action.
In mid-December, a Department of Homeland Security official expressed confidence that many of the reported drone sightings had likely been misidentified manned aircraft. A joint analysis conducted by the White House, FBI, and local authorities concluded that the sightings were primarily due to legal, commercial, and hobbyist drone activity, along with law enforcement aircraft. President Trump had previously stated that he believed the drones were not a threat but suggested they might have been testing equipment.
