The mysterious drones sighted over New Jersey in December were authorized to fly and did not originate from a hostile

White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said Tuesday that the mystery drones flown across New Jersey in late 2024 were "authorized to be flown by the FAA" for research "and various other reasons" in the first press briefing of President Donald Trump's second administration.

White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said the information about the drones came directly from President Donald Trump.

White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said reported drone sightings that sparked panic in New Jersey last month were drones authorized to fly by the Federal Aviation Administration and “not the enemy.

The drones seen flying over New Jersey were authorized by the Federal Aviation Administration, the White House said on Tuesday. The drones were seen not only over the Garden State but over other states in November, Fox News reported.

The unexplained, SUV-sized drones that caused a stir flying over the areas in the Northeast in November and December have returned. As of Sunday, Jan. 25.

In her first official press briefing on Tuesday, President Trump's new press secretary, Karoline Leavitt, revealed that the drones had simply been authorized by the Federal

President Trump said Tuesday that the drone sightings over New Jersey late last year were either authorized by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) or were from hobbyists and enthusiasts. White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt read a statement from Trump at her first press briefing that the FAA had flown drones in the area for research purposes.

In a statement, President Trump said the drone flights that had gripped New Jersey were not enemy or foreign crafts.

Residents of New Jersey reacted with disbelief and frustration after the White House said mysterious drones seen in the skies were approved by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) for research. The state has been the epicenter of a wave of drone sightings, some of them extremely large and some spotted near sensitive locations.

The Trump administration said on Tuesday that the FAA authorized the drones to fly over New Jersey last year for research purposes. Few other details were provided.