Trump Administration National Security

The FAA briefly issued—and then quickly lifted—a 10‑day flight restriction over El Paso after Customs and Border Protection personnel fired a military‑owned LOCUST 20‑kilowatt laser counter‑drone system during a border mission, prompting FAA concerns that the weapon had been used without sufficient coordination with civilian authorities. Officials and lawmakers are divided over whether the closure was prompted by a cartel drone incursion or by safety worries about the unvetted laser test, spurring inquiries and heightened interagency scrutiny as defense leaders convene to address cartel drone threats.