“Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy, along with representatives for the White House and the Pentagon, insisted on Wednesday that a sudden incursion of drones from Mexican drug cartels had necessitated a military response, which prompted the F.A.A. to close the airspace.”

Military’s Use of Anti-Drone Technology Said to Cause El Paso Airspace Closure

“Trump administration officials have said Mexican cartel drones had breached U.S. airspace, but others have disputed that explanation.”

What We Know About the El Paso Airspace Shutdown

“The transportation secretary, Sean Duffy, said the shutdown was a response to an incursion of drones from Mexican drug cartels.”

Trump’s Actions Test the Fragile World of Air Travel

“Sean Duffy, the transportation secretary, has been mum on the topic since Wednesday, when he asserted that the shutdown was caused by a military response to a Mexican drone incursion.”

Closing of El Paso Airspace Adds to Tension Between F.A.A. and Pentagon

“Trump administration officials said the sudden closure of El Paso’s airspace this week was because of a drone flown by a Mexican cartel.”

Do Drug Cartels Actually Use Drones at the Border?

“Senior administration officials described the incident as having been prompted by a drone crossing into the United States from Mexico, an explanation repeated by Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy this week.”

Inside the Debacle That Led to the Closure of El Paso’s Airspace

“Earlier this week, Secretary of Transportation Sean Duffy declared that the authorities had confronted a "cartel drone incursion" over El Paso, Texas, only for the threat to turn out to be a party balloon.”

The El Paso drone scare is the future of national security paranoia

“Officials told The Times the reason for the shutdown was the deployment of what new technology? A drone-destroying laser”

The New York Times News Quiz, Feb. 13, 2026