In the first press briefing of Donald Trump’s second administration, White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt said that she had “news directly from the president of the United States that was just shared with me in the Oval Office” and announced that the mysterious drones spotted in skies around New Jersey last year were “authorized to be flown by the FAA”.
The White House declaration forcefully dismissed reckless and unfounded claims by New Jersey Republican Rep. Jefferson Van Drew, who said the drones could be linked to Iran.
Leavitt categorically rejected Van Drew’s assertions, stating that the drones are FAA-approved and pose no threat to national security.
The drone sightings, which began in late November, have sparked widespread concern across New Jersey, New York, Connecticut, and Pennsylvania. Residents reported seeing groups of drones hovering in formation, often returning night after night, with some sightings near critical infrastructure like energy facilities and military installations. The sheer volume of reports—over 650 nationwide, with more than 5,000 tips logged by the FBI—has fueled speculation and unease.
Van Drew seized on the public’s anxiety, making unsubstantiated claims that Iran could be behind the drones. He pointed to satellite images showing Iranian drone ships stationed off the southern coast of Iran as evidence, though he provided no direct link between those ships and the drones over the Northeast.
“Almost a month has gone by, and we still have no answers from our government,” Van Drew said in a statement. “It is unacceptable to hear the government contradict itself by saying they do not know who is operating these drones, while at the same time telling us there is no reason to be concerned.”
The White House pushed back against Van Drew’s claims, emphasizing that the drones are 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.
She added that many of the drones belong to hobbyists and private individuals who enjoy flying them recreationally. “This was not the enemy,” Leavitt stated, directly refuting Van Drew’s suggestion of foreign involvement.
Leavitt’s dismissal of Van Drew’s claims was unequivocal.
“The idea that these drones are linked to Iran is baseless and not supported by any evidence,” she said. “We have confirmed that these drones are lawful and pose no threat to public safety or national security.” Leavitt also noted that President Biden had been briefed on the matter and shared her assessment.
Despite the White House’s assurances, Van Drew’s comments have resonated with some constituents, particularly those frustrated by the lack of clear answers from federal agencies.
The congressman’s claims drew criticism from experts and lawmakers who accuse him of fearmongering. “Spreading unverified theories about foreign adversaries only serves to inflame public anxiety,” said one political analyst. “It’s irresponsible and undermines trust in government.”
Federal agencies, including the FBI, Department of Homeland Security (DHS), FAA, and Department of Defense (DoD), have been working to address the public’s concerns.
In mid-December, they issued a joint statement explaining that the majority of the sightings were likely lawful drones, airplanes, helicopters, or even stars. The FAA also imposed a month-long drone ban in parts of New Jersey and New York to investigate further.
President Donald Trump weighed in on the controversy, questioning why the government hadn’t been more forthcoming while Van Drew was stoking fears with politically motivated lies.
“Our military knows where they took off from—if it’s a garage, they can go right into that garage,” Trump said, implying that authorities were withholding information.
Then-President Joe Biden maintained that the drones posed no threat, assuring the public that his administration was monitoring the situation closely.
John Kirby, Biden’s national security communications adviser, echoed this sentiment, stating that the drones were not a national security or public safety risk.
“Many of the reported sightings are actually manned aircraft that are being operated lawfully,” Kirby said.
Van Drew is a turncoat, a con artist, and political opportunist who cannot be trusted by, well, anyone.
Van Drew previously betrayed South Jersey voters in a flailing attempt to advance his own political career and hurt the community that trusted him in the process.
After his own internal poll numbers showed Van Drew losing in both the Democratic primary and the general election, the spineless fraud took the easy way out, switching parties and pledging his “undying support” to Trump, a man he privately called “stupid.”
Before switching parties, Van Drew voted against President Trump 90 percent of the time; including votes against border wall funding, a vote condemning Trump’s remarks about four congresswomen as racist, and a vote limiting federal spending at properties owned by Trump.
Van Drew also voted against some of Trump’s signature policies, including against the ban on transgender members of the military, against the rule to block abortion providers from Title X funding, and against the withdrawal from the Paris Agreement on climate change.
Jefferson even spoke at a protest against the first Trump administration’s pursuit of seismic testing, expressing his disappointment that Trump would support the testing.
For many residents, however, the assurances from Washington have done little to ease their concerns.
The drones’ unexplained presence has become a symbol of government opacity, with critics accusing officials of downplaying a potentially serious issue. “We deserve to know what’s going on,” said one New Jersey resident. “If these drones are harmless, why all the secrecy?”
Now that Trump is in power, the White House’s dismissal of Van Drew’s claims has highlighted the public distrust that results from irresponsible political rhetoric.
By comparison, drones seem like harmless hobbyist toys while politically motivated lies are something more sinister that put the American public in danger, but instead of feeling uneasy, people should be demanding accountability.
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