White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt announced on Tuesday the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) authorized the drones recently sighted in New Jersey.

The Details: Reading a statement from President Trump, Leavitt said, “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. Many of these drones were also hobbyists, recreational and private individuals that enjoy flying drones.” 

For Context: Drones first were spotted in New Jersey in late 2024, with reported sightings spreading to Pennsylvania, New York, Maryland, Virginia, Massachusetts, California, Ohio, and Utah. These sightings spurred a range of theories from the public, including conjectures about foreign powers and alien activity. Former President Biden made similar remarks dispelling these theories in December.

How the Media Covered It: Bloomberg (Lean Left bias) highlighted that though the White House dispelled rumors with its statement, some of these theories were “floated on the campaign trail by President Donald Trump.” The article suggested inconsistencies in Trump’s statements, claiming “Trump previously suggested — without citing evidence — that the US military knew where drones took off from and was willfully withholding information about the sightings.” The Epoch Times (Lean Right) quoted Capt. Richard J. Levy, a former American Airlines pilot and lead consultant at Aviation Expert Consulting, and others who find the government-related theories believable. For Levy, White House statement “makes you wonder if it’s the U.S. government ... testing new technology on drones.”