ENSURING AMERICAN SOVEREIGNTY OVER ITS SKIES: Today, President Donald J. Trump signed an Executive Order to ensure American sovereignty over its skies and a safe and secure airspace.
- Unmanned aircraft systems (UAS), otherwise known as drones, pose a growing threat as criminals, terrorists, and hostile foreign actors increasingly weaponize these technologies to endanger public safety and national security.
- The Order establishes the Federal Task Force to Restore American Airspace Sovereignty to review and propose solutions to UAS threats.
- It directs the Administrator of the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) to establish a process to restrict drone flights over critical infrastructure and other public facilities.
- It instructs the FAA Administrator to make Notices to Airmen and Temporary Flight Restrictions freely available online for drone geofencing and Aircraft Navigation and Guidance system purposes.
- The Order requires the Attorney General and FAA Administrator to increase enforcement of civil and criminal laws against drone operators endangering the public, violating airspace restrictions, or committing a crime.
- It authorizes Federal agencies to use existing authorities to detect, track, and identify drones and drone signals, and enables state, local, tribal, and territorial law enforcement agencies to access grant programs for similar equipment.
- The Order mandates the publication of guidance to help private critical infrastructure owners and operators employ drone detection technologies.
- It calls for a risk-based assessment to designate borders, large airports, Federal facilities, critical infrastructure, and military installations as protected areas.
- The Order directs the Attorney General and Secretary of Homeland Security to explore integrating counter-UAS operation responses as part of Joint Terrorism Task Forces that are stood up for mass gathering events.
- It also directs the Administration to create a National Training Center for Counter-UAS to build the needed counter-UAS capacity to secure major events like the 2026 FIFA World Cup and 2028 Summer Olympics.
ADDRESSING GROWING DRONE THREATS: President Trump is taking decisive action to counter the escalating misuse of drones.
- Criminals, terrorists, and hostile foreign actors have intensified their weaponization of drone technologies, creating new and serious threats to our homeland.
- Drug cartels use drones to smuggle fentanyl across our borders, deliver contraband into prisons, surveil law enforcement, and otherwise endanger the public.
- Mass gatherings are vulnerable to disruptions and threats by unauthorized drone flights.
- Critical infrastructure, including military bases, is subject to frequent—and often unidentified—drone incursions.
ADVANCING NATIONAL SECURITY: President Trumphas consistently prioritized making America safe and secure.
- Immediately upon taking office, President Trump fulfilled his promise to address the mysterious drone sightings in New Jersey by clarifying that these were FAA-authorized flights, not a national security threat.
- President Trump has deployed drones to patrol the southern border, strengthening national security through advanced surveillance and monitoring capabilities.
- President Trump has advanced cutting-edge drone technologies through smart, targeted regulation, unlocking economic growth while strengthening safety, security, and innovation.