White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt said on Tuesday that drones sighted flying over New Jersey "were authorized to be flown" by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) and were "not the enemy."
The drone flights were authorized for "research and various other reasons" she added. "Many of these drones were also hobbyists, recreational, and private individuals that enjoy flying drones... in time, it got worse due to curiosity."
Mysterious drones were reported flying in New Jersey in November and December, prompting the FAA to impose temporary flight restrictions due to potential hazards to civilian aircraft.