White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt Says Drones Flying Over N.J. Were Authorized By FAA For Research: ‘This Was Not The Enemy’

The White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt revealed that the mysterious drones flying over New Jersey had been authorized by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) for research and other purposes.

On Jan. 28, Leavitt made this announcement during her first press briefing of President Donald Trump‘s second administration.

“Before I turn to questions, 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,” she stated.

“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,” she said. “Many of these drones were also hobbyists, recreational and private individuals that enjoy fun.”

The press secretary noted: “this was not the enemy.”

In December 2024, the Pentagon rejected claims from Rep. Jeff Van Drew (R-New Jersey) that these mysterious drones came from an Iranian “mothership.”

Van Drew told Fox News’ Harris Faulkner that his private sources are certain that the drones came from Iran.

He also mentioned the U.S. government does not have similar technology.

At the beginning of January, the FAA increased temporary drone flight restrictions to investigate the drones’ appearance. These restrictions were issued after a drone ban in almost 24 towns and municipalities went into effect in December and lasted until Jan. 18.

Under the FAA order, no uncrewed aircraft could operate less than 400 feet within one nautical mile of the airspace in each town.

There were some exceptions for first responders and specific commercial drones. Federal officials did not think there was a threat, and many sightings of manned aircraft had been mistaken for drones. Sen. Andy Kim (D-New Jersey) even posted his video on social media to debunk the conspiracy theories.