A Week After Taking Office, President Trump Reveals Drones Were Authorized by FAA
A week after taking office, President Trump released a statement saying that the thousands of drones seen over the skies of New Jersey were not from foreign adversaries, but were instead authorized by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA).
The statement, read by Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt, said that the drones were authorized to be flown by the FAA for “research and various other reasons,” with some being flown by hobbyists for recreational purposes. However, there was no further explanation as to why the FAA did not disclose the authorization to law enforcement or state officials, or why they did not acknowledge that they had authorized the flights.
The FAA did not directly answer these questions or provide any additional information. Instead, they referred all matters to the White House.
The announcement has raised many questions, including why the FAA did not tell law enforcement and local officials that the flights were authorized, and why they did not admit earlier that they had authorized the flights.
The lack of transparency has led to frustration among law enforcement officials, who were tasked with uncovering the identity of the drone operators. Monmouth County Sheriff Shaun Golden expressed extreme disappointment and stated that the FAA’s lack of transparency caused widespread panic and fear among residents.
Ocean County Sheriff Michael Mastronardy also expressed relief at the news, saying “Just tell us what you’re doing and I’m good.”
State officials, including Governor Phil Murphy, have also weighed in on the issue, with some calling for greater transparency and collaboration between federal, state, and local authorities in future operations.
The matter has also led to calls for congressional reforms to ensure that similar incidents are handled more transparently in the future.