Trump Administration Gives Update On NJ Drones

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One week after taking office, President Donald Trump released a statement confirming that foreign adversaries did not operate the thousands of drones spotted over New Jersey in recent months but were, in fact, authorized by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA).

The announcement raised new questions about why the FAA had not informed federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies about the flights earlier or acknowledged its involvement amid growing public concern.

Since his election, Trump had pledged to investigate the mystery surrounding the drones, which had been reported across the state since November. In a written statement read by White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt during a press briefing, Trump provided his findings.

“The drones that were flying over New Jersey in large numbers were authorized to be flown by FAA for research and various other reasons … this was not the enemy,” the statement read.

Leavitt further stated that many of the drones were flown by hobbyists for recreational purposes, which contributed to the widespread sightings. “In time, it got worse because of curiosity,” she said.

The FAA has not publicly explained why it did not disclose its role in the drone flights to law enforcement or state officials at the height of the incident. When questioned about this, FAA spokesman Christopher Mullooly referred inquiries to the White House, saying only that the FAA’s responsibility is to ensure drones operate safely within national airspace. He added that operating drones under 400 feet is legal as long as they comply with regulations, including avoiding restricted areas.

The Biden administration had previously acknowledged the presence of drones but had not disclosed that the FAA had authorized them. In December, White House Communications Adviser John Kirby stated that “many” of the aerial objects reported were lawful aircraft that posed no national security threat. Similarly, then-Secretary of Homeland Security Alejandro Mayorkas said that the federal government had deployed additional personnel and technology to track the drones without mentioning the FAA’s involvement.

Trump’s statement led to frustration among some state and local officials who had spent months attempting to track the drones without receiving clear answers from federal agencies.

Monmouth County Sheriff Shaun Golden expressed his disappointment in a Facebook post, stating that the FAA’s lack of transparency had led to unnecessary panic and wasted resources. “The unexplained drone activity led to significant public concern with residents, members of law enforcement, state, federal, and local authorities scrambling for answers,” Golden said. “The FAA’s lack of transparency regarding the nature of the operation heightened alarm and created unnecessary anxiety in the community. It led to a waste of taxpayer resources to track and chase down suspicious reports.”

Ocean County Sheriff Michael Mastronardy, whose office had been actively investigating drone sightings, said he was relieved to learn that the activity had been government-authorized but questioned why the information was withheld. “I’m very pleased to find out that it was government that was involved,” Mastronardy said. “Just tell us what you’re doing, and I’m good.”

New Jersey Governor Phil Murphy responded to Trump’s announcement with a statement on X, formerly Twitter, saying, “Glad to see the @WhiteHouse confirm there was no known threat to the public. Grateful for our partnership with law enforcement on this matter.”

However, Republican lawmakers expressed frustration over what they described as a lack of transparency from the previous administration.

Assemblyman Paul Kanitra (R-Ocean) criticized the Biden administration’s handling of the situation, stating, “It’s absurd that the Biden Administration flat out lied to the American people for months about this. They continually tried to tell everyone they were seeing things and nothing was going on when they knew what it was all along. It certainly begs the question … Why?”

State Senator Jon Bramnick (R-Somerset) also condemned the lack of disclosure, saying, “There is no reason for the federal government to withhold this information from the public. The lack of communication from the Biden administration led to very real concern from New Jersey residents. Government transparency is paramount, and I appreciate the Trump administration providing this information to the public.”

Middletown Mayor Tony Perry said local leaders had been promised additional information from the White House in the near future, but no specific date had been provided.

Sheriff Golden called on Congress to establish new transparency requirements for federal agencies conducting aerial surveillance operations. “Residents of New Jersey were subjected to weeks of fear and uncertainty, with no clear communication or explanation at the time,” he said. “For the FAA to now claim this was for ‘research’ shows a complete disregard for the trust and safety of our communities.”

The FAA has not released any additional statements explaining why it implemented temporary flight restrictions over parts of New Jersey during the period of increased drone activity despite having authorized the flights. The restrictions had prohibited unmanned aircraft from operating below a certain altitude within a nautical mile of specific locations for “special security reasons.”

The drone sightings, which first gained national attention in November, had prompted a large-scale law enforcement response, with the FBI and New Jersey State Police launching investigations and urging the public to report any unusual drone activity. Law enforcement officials had reported difficulty in determining where the drones were originating from or where they landed.

As questions remain over the FAA’s role and communication regarding the incident, local and state officials continue to push for greater oversight and transparency in future operations.

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