President Donald Trump has revealed the truth about the drones that were causing confusion after appearing above New Jersey.
The drone activity, first reported in November, sparked national security concerns as large, unidentified drones were seen flying over military bases and Trump’s golf course in Bedminster.
The FAA initially attributed the sightings to “lawful commercial drones, hobbyist drones, law enforcement drones, manned fixed-wing aircraft, helicopters, and stars mistakenly reported as drones.”
As public anxiety grew, the FAA imposed a temporary ban on drone flights in 22 New Jersey towns, warning that “deadly force” could be used against drones posing an “imminent security threat”.
Despite these measures, sightings continued, prompting speculation that the drones were linked to foreign entities.
In December, the Biden administration stated that there was “no evidence of anything nefarious” after initial concerns tied the sightings to Iran and China, per the New York Post.
However, officials admitted they were unable to verify thousands of reported drone incidents.
The former President added: “There’s a lot of drones authorized up there. I think one started it and they all — everybody wanted to get in the deal.”
On his first day back, Trump directed his chief of staff, Susie Wiles, to investigate the matter.
“I would like to find out what it is and tell the people. In fact, I’d like to do that,” Trump said. “Could we find out what that was, Susie? Why don’t we find out immediately?”
Concerns over unexplained aerial phenomena intensified in mid-November when reports described “car-sized” drones flying over Morris County. Eyewitness accounts and video footage showed drones with green and red lights moving in formations.
Federal agencies, including the FBI and the Department of Defense, held congressional meetings in December to discuss the sightings.
The FBI received over 3,000 reports in a single week but admitted it was unable to identify who was operating the drones. Meanwhile, the U.S. military denied any involvement.
During the first press briefing of Trump’s second term, White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt addressed growing concerns over the drones, revealing that they had been sanctioned for “research and various other reasons,” per the Daily Mail.
Leavitt explained that many of the drones in question belonged to “hobbyists, recreational and private individuals that enjoy flying drones,” but acknowledged that the situation escalated as public curiosity grew.
Her statements, based on information “directly from the president of the United States that was just shared with me in the Oval Office,” were intended to soothe concerns.
However, the explanation left many unanswered questions - especially as the FAA had previously omitted any mention of research activities when addressing the sightings.
While Leavitt assured the public that “this was not the enemy,” she declined to specify who authorized the flights or what specific research was being conducted.
Belleville Mayor Michael Melham voiced skepticism following Leavitt’s remarks, writing on X: “We were repeatedly told, ‘These are NOT Federal Operations’ and ‘Not our Government Assets,’ and I kept saying that doesn’t mean the drones aren’t a defense contractor. The question remains, why are so many flying over such densely populated areas?”
The mysterious drones have also been reported at military bases nationwide. In December, Ohio’s Wright-Patterson Air Force Base closed its airspace due to drone activity.
Days later, Texas’ Naval Air Station Joint Reserve Base Fort Worth experienced a similar incident, with police in White Settlement observing drones flying in formation at 100 feet.
White Settlement Police Chief Christopher Cook remarked: “We haven’t seen the formation of drones like that before.”