Trump’s Controversial Laser Drone Allegations Cause El Paso Shutdown Amid Balloon Rumors

In an unexpected twist, airlines began issuing waivers, prompting travelers with plans to visit El Paso, Texas, to rethink their itineraries. This upheaval came on the heels of an announcement that the airspace over the US-Mexican border would be shut down for 10 days due to “special security reasons,” starting Wednesday morning.

However, in a surprising turn of events, the airspace was reopened just eight hours later. This sudden reversal left many puzzled, as questions arose about the necessity of such a drastic measure to halt all air travel to and from El Paso International Airport.

Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy shed light on the situation, revealing that there was a “cartel drone incursion” near the border. He explained that the Federal Aviation Administration and the Department of War took immediate action to address the threat.

Reassuring the public, Duffy stated, “There is no danger to commercial travel in the region,” as the airport resumed normal operations.

An administration official further confirmed to the Daily Mail that drones operated by Mexican cartels had indeed breached US airspace, leading to the initial shutdown.

But soon after this rhetoric spread, reports emerged suggesting it was actually a disagreement between the FAA and the DOW over anti-drone technology testing that caused the shutdown.

Sources told CNN that the Pentagon planned to test high-energy, counter-drone lasers without coordinating with the FAA.

Earlier this week this tech was also used to shoot down what officials thought were foreign drones, but turned out to be mylar party balloons. 

Airspace in a 10-mile radius around El Paso Intentional Airport shut down for eight-hours on Wednesday morning after the administration claimed Mexican drones entered into US airspace

Sources told CBS News it was a singular balloon, but others familiar with the timeline told CNN that it was four party balloons shot down this week that led the FAA to shutdown El Paso for air travel.

And CBS reports that FAA Administrator Bryan Bedford on Tuesday night decided to close the airspace without first alerting White House or Pentagon officials, allegedly prompting a Wednesday morning meeting in White House Chief of Staff Susie Wiles’ office.

The FAA decision was reversed after that gathering.

Reports of administration in-fighting and balloon shoot-downs come as the Trump administration insisted it was cartel drone crossing into US airspace that triggered the 10-mile restriction centered in the border city.

The Pentagon declined to provide comment when reached by the Daily Mail.  

The airport closure was expected to last 10 days, but was only in place for eight hours.

President Donald Trump in a Wednesday night interview hinted that the US is inching towards striking countries harboring drug cartels just over a month after seizing Nicolas Maduro from his bed and taking operational control of Venezuela.

This is sparking speculation by some sources who spoke with the Daily Mail that the drug cartel drone reasoning could be used as an excuse for Trump to strike in Mexico.

Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum denied during her Wednesday morning press conference that her country had anything to do with the alleged drone activity near El Paso. 

‘There is no information about the use of drones on the border,’ she insisted. 

Sheinbaum committed to her administration investigating the incident and looking into ‘the exact causes of why they closed’ US airspace, and urged Trump officials to contact her government if they have information to share regarding the incident. 

On Tuesday, the president bragged to Fox News that drug trafficking into the US has dropped by 33 percent after the middle-of-the-night capture of Maduro last month – and the administration has since left open the possibility that Trump’s military campaign could widen beyond Venezuela.  

‘Now we’re gonna start on land,’ Trump said in the interview aired Tuesday night. ‘We had to do the boats first because they would go immediately to the boats.’

‘Now we’re gonna hit them on land. We’re gonna hit them very hard on land.’

It wasn’t immediately clear which country Trump was referencing with his remarks, but the administration’s rhetoric towards Mexico has been on the rise and the White House did not deny that he was considering action in other Latin American countries.

‘The President has left all options on the table to stop drugs from flooding into our country – just as he promised,’ White House spokeswoman Anna Kelly told the Daily Mail when asked whether the president’s remarks were about Venezuela or if he is considering land strikes in other countries.

President Donald Trump warned the US will start to ‘hit [drug cartels] on land’ after a months-long operation to strike vessels allegedly carrying drugs in the Caribbean

The alleged drone action in Texas had led to some questions over whether Trump might use this to take action in Mexico next.

A person familiar with the administration’s thinking didn’t deny when asked by the Daily Mail that it’s possible that the White House could use this incident as a reason to get more involved on the ground in Mexico to shut down drug cartel activity.

And a former Pentagon official said ‘given the threat’ by the Mexican drone activity, it could predicate retaliation by Trump.

‘The issue is will Mexico act in a way that addresses this threat coming from its territory into the US,’ they added, suggesting that if the Mexican government acts, it could deter Trump from wanting to do it himself.

In September 2025, the War Department began conducting strikes against vessels in the Caribbean and southern Atlantic that were allegedly carrying drugs as the Trump administration moved to stop drug trafficking in the region.

The operation included at least 38 strikes and resulted in the deaths of 128 people.

Trump’s War Department conducted strikes on on at least 38 vessels allegedly carrying drugs in the Caribbean and Atlantic starting in September 2025 and resulting in in the deaths of 128 people

The operation culminated in the capture and extradition of former Venezuelan leader Nicolas Maduro from his bunker in Caras on January 3, 2026 – he was brought to New York and charged with narcoterrorism and drug trafficking crimes, among others

This all culminated in the secretive abduction of Maduro and his wife Cilia Flores from their bunker in Venezuela on January 3, 2026. They were extradited to New York where they are facing narcoterrorism and drug trafficking charges, among others.

Trump has previously threatened to also conduct US military strikes against drug cartels operating out of Mexico.

He told Fox News in early January that he would ‘start now hitting land with regard to the cartels,’ and directly linked it to the US southern neighbors by claiming: ‘The cartels are running Mexico.’

‘On the campaign trail, President Trump promised to take on the cartels – and he has taken unprecedented action to stop the scourge of narcoterrorism that has resulted in the needless deaths of innocent Americans,’ White House spokesperson Anna Kelly said in her statement.