White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt held her first briefing for media members today. She began the session by announcing that the mysterious drones seen over New Jersey in late 2024 were "authorized to be flown by the FAA," per ABC News.
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Leavitt told the reporters, "I do have news directly from the president of the United States that was just shared with me in the Oval Office, from President Trump directly, an update on the New Jersey drones."
Karoline Leavitt Said Most Of The Drones Had FAA Approval; Others Were Harmless
She continued, "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 who enjoy flying drones. In time, it got worse due to curiosity. This was not the enemy."
Last month, President-elect Trump seemed to hint that President Biden and his administration might be aware of more information than they were disclosing about the nature of the drones. The drone sightings in New Jersey and elsewhere along the East Coast gave rise to public concern and speculation at the time.
She Touched On Other Key Subjects, Discussed How Access To These Briefings Would Be Expanded
Leavitt is the youngest White House press secretary at 27 years old. She spent about three-quarters of an hour today fielding questions from the press corps. Per the Associated Press, Leavitt talked about the controversial freeze on federal loans and grants, as well as the deportation of illegal migrants from the United States.
Per the Washington Post, Leavitt gave a recap of President Trump's actions during his whirlwind first week in office which launched his second term. She reportedly "tout[ed] his pledges to crack down on illegal immigration. Leavitt also defended the White House budget office's decision to pause grants and loans disbursed by the federal government...."
Per the AP, she said that both she and President Trump would be speaking to reporters often. "I can assure you that you'll be hearing from both him and me as much as possible." Leavitt also noted that social media influencers and podcasters would be accommodated in the briefing room.
