In the first press briefing in the US Trump administration, the new press secretary Karoline Leavitt announced that the drones plaguing New Jersey in December 2024 were not the enemy.
”I do have news directly from the president of the United States that was just shared with me in the Oval Office from President Trump directly — an update on the New Jersey drones: 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.
Many of these drones were also hobbyists, recreational and private individuals that enjoy flying drones. In meantime, it got worse, due to curiosity. This was not the enemy.”
Related: Mysterious Drones Over US East Coast Spark Security Concerns
Source: Press briefing by press secretary Karoline Leavitt, video from January 29, 2025, White House (also read the transcript)