Washington
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It was not a mistake to close the airspace around El Paso, Texas, final week, Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy mentioned at a information convention Friday afternoon.
He declined to share particulars about what occurred and the subsequent finger pointing, saying he would converse to Congress earlier than addressing it publicly.
“We have a briefing next week on Capitol Hill. We are going to go through that briefing and talk to the members of Congress,” he mentioned.
Last Wednesday, the Federal Aviation Administration abruptly grounded all flights up to 18,000 ft around the Texas metropolis for 10 days, successfully shutting down El Paso International Airport.
The resolution to close the airspace was made with out first telling the White House, sources advised NCS, and drew intense focus contained in the West Wing. The restrictions had been reversed about eight hours later.
“I don’t think there was a lack of communication,” Duffy mentioned. “We have good partners. I’m friends with all of the players that are involved. From Marco (Rubio) to Pete (Hegseth) to Kristi (Noem). We all know each other well and we all communicate well.”
Duffy initially posted on social media that the closure was due to the army performing to “address a cartel drone incursion” which had been “neutralized.”
However, sources advised NCS the closure got here after Customs and Border Protection officers deployed a high-energy counter-drone laser on mortgage from the Pentagon with out having coordinated with the FAA about potential dangers to civilian flights.
“I use information that I get,” Duffy mentioned earlier than asking if any questions associated to the trucking business, which was the supposed focus of his remarks.
“I appreciate the interest in El Paso… I served on the Hill, as you know, and I think we owe a conversation with the Hill before I have a conversation with you. And so that’s what we will do,” Duffy mentioned. “I’ll take the Hill’s questions before yours and, you know, we’ll go from there.”
NCS’s Alayna Treene, Kevin Liptak, Natasha Bertrand and Pete Muntean contributed to this report.