At the end of last year, residents across New Jersey and the east coast reported an unusual phenomenon in the skies—numerous drone sightings. The sightings began just before Thanksgiving and continued for weeks, leading to over 5,000 reports to the FBI. However, only about 100 of these reports warranted further investigation. Concerns arose as drones were observed hovering in formation above residential areas, military installations, and critical infrastructure such as energy facilities, railway stations, and reservoirs.
In response to the growing number of sightings, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) imposed a month-long drone ban in parts of New Jersey and New York. Lawmakers from New Jersey, New York, Connecticut, and other east coast states demanded answers and criticized the lack of urgency and transparency from government agencies. Despite the public's concern, government officials, including those from the Department of Homeland Security, the FBI, the FAA, and the Department of Defense, released a joint statement clarifying that the sightings were a mix of lawful drones, airplanes, helicopters, and celestial bodies.
"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," said Karoline Leavitt.
Former President Joe Biden addressed the issue, stating that there was "nothing nefarious" about the drones and assured that his administration was monitoring the situation closely. John Kirby, Biden's national security communications adviser, emphasized that the drones did not pose a national security or public safety risk.
"To the contrary, upon review of available imagery, it appears that many of the reported sightings are actually manned aircraft that are being operated lawfully," Kirby stated.
The situation drew criticism from former President Donald Trump, who questioned the government's transparency regarding the sightings.
"Look, our military knows where they took off from – if it’s a garage, they can go right into that garage," Trump remarked.
Despite official reassurances, a state lawmaker called for New Jersey to declare a limited state of emergency due to the ongoing drone activities. Meanwhile, the White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt noted that increased public curiosity had exacerbated concerns about the drones.
"In time, it got worse due to curiosity," Leavitt acknowledged.