The White House confirmed that the drones spotted flying over New Jersey were authorized by the FAA for research and other purposes. White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt stated that many of the drones were operated by hobbyists and private individuals. The confusion and paranoia surrounding the drones were attributed to curiosity rather than any malicious intent. Federal authorities clarified that the reported drones were mostly lawful commercial, hobbyist, and law enforcement drones, as well as other aircraft mistakenly identified as drones.