Trump signs executive orders on drones
On a recent Friday, President Donald Trump signed three executive orders aimed at enhancing the use of drones and aviation technologies in response to unusual sightings reported along the East Coast last year. These sightings, which involved both civilians and military personnel in New Jersey, New York, and Pennsylvania during late 2024, were initially investigated by the Biden administration and classified as commercial drone operations, not unidentified aerial phenomena (UAPs).
The new executive orders focus on promoting American innovation in drone technology, safeguarding US airspace, and asserting leadership in supersonic flight. Michael Kratsios, director of the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy, stated that the orders would facilitate beyond-visual-line-of-sight operations and streamline commercial drone usage, while also addressing concerns regarding potential misuse of drones for criminal or terrorist activities.
The orders are considered timely given upcoming international events in the US, including the FIFA World Cup in 2026 and the Summer Olympics in 2028. National Security Council official Sebastian Gorka mentioned that the executive actions were accelerated by the lessons learned from drone usage in conflict zones like Ukraine, emphasizing the dual potential of drones for both beneficial and detrimental applications.the administration aims to bolster American drone capacity while ensuring national security.
Trump signs drone executive orders responding to New Jersey sightings
President Donald Trump signed three executive orders Friday regarding the use of drones and other aviation technologies. White House officials said the orders are in direct response to a string of bizarre sightings along the East Coast last year.
Dozens of civilians and military personnel reported seeing unexplained anomalous phenomena in New Jersey, New York, and Pennsylvania in November and December 2024. The Biden administration, working hand-in-hand with state governments, eventually determined that the craft were legally operated commercial drones, not UAPs, and did not pose a threat to national security. The Trump administration affirmed that determination shortly after Trump was sworn into office in January.
Friday’s three orders focus on “unleashing American drone dominance, restoring American airspace sovereignty, and leading the world in supersonic flight,” White House Office of Science and Technology Policy Director Michael Kratsios said ahead of Trump’s signing ceremony.
“For too long, red tape has hindered homegrown drone innovation, restricting commercial drone use, and burdening their development. That’s why the executive order signed today will enable routine, beyond-visual-line-of-sight commercial operations, like drone deliveries, and allow for greater testing and scaling. We’re also securing our drone manufacturing supply chains, reducing resilience on adversarial nations,” Kratsios said.
He added, “These orders also address the growing threat of criminal, terrorist, and foreign misuse of
drones in U.S. airspace. We have a responsibility to protect and restore our airspace sovereignty. Under President Trump’s leadership, we are securing our borders from national security threats, including in the air.”
White House officials said the orders are particularly timely, given that the United States will co-host the 2026 FIFA World Cup and the 2028 Summer Olympic Games.
Sebastian Gorka, National Security Council senior director for counterterrorism, acknowledged the impetus that the New Jersey drone sightings had on crafting Trump’s executive orders, but said developments on the battlefield in Ukraine have hammered home the need to innovate in the space.
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“Anyone can go online right now and just look at footage from the Ukraine, how an otherwise innocent technology is being utilized in very innovative ways for good and bad uses, and the timing couldn’t even be better than it is today, given what we witnessed with the remarkable drone operation that occurred just a few days ago in Russia,” Gorka said. “Drones are a disruptive technology. They have an amazing potential for both good and ill.”
“The President understands this, and today he will act decisively to allow American innovation while at the same time protecting our nation,” he added.
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