White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt said on Tuesday that the drones flying over the East Coast that caused a stir several weeks ago were all operating legally.
Leavitt made the remarks during her first press briefing after receiving the information from President Donald Trump in the Oval Office prior to the briefing.
“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. “Many of these drones were also hobbyists, recreational, and private individuals that enjoy flying drones.”
“In time, it got worse due to curiosity. This was not the enemy,” she concluded.
WATCH:
One incident that raised concerns last month involved multiple unidentified drones that entered the airspace over a U.S. Navy weapons station in New Jersey.
Numerous recent sightings of “car-sized” drones over New Jersey alarmed residents and lawmakers as the Department of Homeland Security and the FBI said they were investigating the phenomena. Naval Weapons Station Earle in Colts Neck, New Jersey, provided a statement to ABC News in mid-December that seemed to reinforce the concerns about drones flying over the state.
“While no direct threats to the installation have been identified, we can confirm multiple instances of unidentified drones entering the airspace above Naval Weapons Station Earle,” Bill Addison, public affairs officer for the naval station, said in the statement. “The base remains prepared to respond to any potential risks, leveraging robust security measures and advanced detection capabilities.”
The statement did not specify when it witnessed drones flying over its airspace, and the naval base added that it “continues to closely coordinate with federal and state agencies to ensure the safety of our personnel and operations.”
