The White House announced that most drones spotted over New Jersey and the East Coast in 2024 were authorized by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA). White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt shared this information during the first press briefing of President Donald Trump's second administration. According to Leavitt, the drones were flown for research and other purposes, with many operated by hobbyists and private individuals.

"After research and study, the drones that were flying over New Jersey in large numbers were authorized to be flown by the FAA for research and various other reasons," Leavitt said during Tuesday's (January 28) briefing.

The drone sightings, which began on November 18, 2024, in Morris County, New Jersey, led to temporary flight restrictions in the state, particularly near President Trump's Bedminster golf club and the Picatinny Arsenal military base. The sightings caused concern among residents, who frequently reported drones hovering overhead, sometimes in clusters.

In December, President Trump suggested that the previous administration knew more about the drones than it was revealing. However, the FAA and other officials have maintained that the drones were not a threat.

The FAA had implemented several drone bans over critical infrastructure, which have since expired. The FBI and Department of Homeland Security (DHS) believe that many of the sightings were cases of mistaken identity, with people misidentifying small, legally operating aircraft as drones.