WASHINGTON — White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt on Tuesday delivered an update from President Donald Trump on the drone sightings that captured the public’s attention last month.
Leavitt, who made her debut as the youngest-ever press secretary, said that the Federal Aviation Administration had approved the drone flights and that they were not a threat.
“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. “Many of these drones were also hobbyists, recreational and private individuals that enjoy flying drones.
“It got worse due to curiosity. This was not the enemy,” she added.
Leavitt said the news came directly from the president.
The drones led to widespread curiosity as well as some confusion and worry last month. State and Biden administration officials had said there was no evidence of anything nefarious with the sightings.
Trump had said the “government knows” what was happening with the drones. He said at the time, “I can’t imagine it’s the enemy because if it’s the enemy they’d blast it out.”
The mysterious drone sightings started a few months ago over parts of New Jersey, raising concerns among residents and officials. More drones were reportedly seen all along the northern East Coast, with suspicious sightings in Connecticut, Massachusetts, Pennsylvania and Virginia, according to news reports.
Federal authorities said in December that the reported drone sightings had been identified as legal commercial drones, hobbyist drones and law enforcement drones, as well as manned aircraft, helicopters and even stars. Officials said that assessment was based on technical data and tips.
The FBI and New Jersey state police had to warn citizens against pointing lasers at suspected drones, because aircraft pilots were being hit in the eyes more often. Authorities also said they are concerned people might fire weapons at manned aircraft that they have mistaken for drones.