President-elect Donald Trump has vowed to release a report on the origins of drones flying over northeastern parts of the U.S. around "one day" into his second term.
Newsweek has contacted the Trump transition team, the White House and the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) for comment via email.
Why It Matters
The Biden administration has faced criticism for an apparent lack of transparency after numerous drone sightings were reported in states such as New Jersey, Pennsylvania and Connecticut at the end of 2024. These sightings raised concerns about security threats and speculation of foreign involvement.
What to Know
Trump hosted a dinner meeting with Republican governors at his Mar-a-Lago estate in Palm Beach, Florida, on Thursday evening. Virginia Governor Glenn Youngkin and Florida Governor Ron DeSantis were among those present.
While taking questions from reporters, Trump was asked if he believes the current administration knows more about the appearance of the drones than it is revealing.
The president-elect replied that he will deliver a report on drones "about one day" into his new term, adding that it is "ridiculous" the current government is allegedly withholding information.
The Pentagon, FAA, FBI, and the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) have all downplayed suggestions that the drones pose a security risk.
Fears were raised after drones were seen flying over restricted airspaces, including military facilities and airports. The air space over the Wright-Patterson Air Force Base in Ohio was temporarily shut down between December 13 and December 14 due to drone activity.
Officials also warned against shooting down drones, noting that such actions would be illegal and could pose safety risks.
Pentagon press secretary Maj. Gen. Pat Ryder said during a December press conference that there are more than a million drones registered with the FAA in the U.S., and more than 8,000 drones are legally flown every day.
In a December press conference at Mar-a-Lago, Trump suggested the government wants to "keep people in suspense" by not disclosing the origins of the drones.
What People Are Saying
President-elect Donald Trump at Thursday's Mar-a-Lago dinner: "I'm going to give you a report on drones about one day into the administration, because I think it's ridiculous that they're not telling you about what's going on with the drones.
"They don't want to talk about it, and nobody knows why they don't want to talk about it. That could be us sending drones—I hope that's the case. Us doing it and doing research. Maybe they don't want to talk about it from that standpoint. I hope it's not an enemy, but we're going to find out on the 21st [of January]. You have to give me a little time for the inauguration, but shortly thereafter, we'll give you a report on it. We'll tell you exactly what it is. They know, and it's very strange that they aren't talking about it."
Virginia Governor Glenn Youngkin at Mar-a-Lago: "We are home to the largest naval base in the world, Quantico, and we house a lot of the SEAL teams and have a huge national security infrastructure. And now, for two years running, we have had drone incursions over secure airspace, and we still don't know why. I think that's absolutely unacceptable."
The DHS, FBI, FAA, and Defense Department in a joint December 17 statement: "Having closely examined the technical data and tips from concerned citizens, we assess that the sightings to date include a combination of lawful commercial drones, hobbyist drones, and law enforcement drones, as well as manned fixed-wing aircraft, helicopters, and stars mistakenly reported as drones. We have not identified anything anomalous and do not assess the activity to date to present a national security or public safety risk over the civilian airspace in New Jersey or other states in the Northeast."
Pentagon press secretary Maj. Gen. Pat Ryder in a December 16 press conference: "The FAA reports that there are more than one million drones registered with the FAA in the United States and that more than 8,000 drones are lawfully flown in the U.S. every single day. The point being that flying drones is not illegal. There are thousands of drones flown around the U.S. on a daily basis. So, as a result, it's not that unusual to see drones in the sky, nor is it an indication of malicious activity or any public safety threat."
What Happens Next
Trump will be sworn in for his second term in office on January 20, with the proposed drone report expected shortly thereafter.
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