A Week After Taking Office, Trump Says Thousands of Drones Over NJ Were Authorized by FAA
A week after taking office, President Trump said in a statement that the thousands of drones that were seen over the skies of New Jersey were not from foreign adversaries, but were instead authorized by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA). The statement raised numerous questions about why the FAA did not tell the FBI and law enforcement officers that the flights had been authorized, or why the FAA did not acknowledge that they had authorized the drone flights.
The FAA did not provide further explanation for the “research and various other reasons” they authorized the drone flights, but did state that many of the drones were also flown by hobbyists for recreational purposes.
The discrepancy between Trump’s statement and the previous administration’s statements has led to questions about why the FAA failed to inform law enforcement and state officials that they had authorized the flights. The FAA’s lack of transparency has sparked anger and frustration among state and local officials, who felt that the public was left in the dark about the purpose of the drone flights.
The next step is yet to be determined, but local leaders have promised to push for reforms to ensure transparency and collaboration with state and local authorities in future operations.