Administration Clarifies Buttigieg Video and Gives Update On Temporary No Fly Restrictions

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Well, folks, here we are again, watching the Biden administration stumble through another crisis like they’ve got two left feet.

This time, it’s Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg trying to make sense of something as simple as allowing people to help. After Hurricane Helene ripped through the Southeast, with a death toll now exceeding 200 and hundreds still missing, what’s Buttigieg’s big move? Telling drone pilots to stand down or face fines and potential criminal charges. That’s right—private citizens who are just trying to help locate survivors and document the devastation were initially told by the Department of Transportation (DOT) to keep their drones grounded.

Naturally, that didn’t sit well with, well, anyone. Social media lit up like a Christmas tree, with everyone from concerned citizens to podcasters calling out the absurdity of Buttigieg’s heavy-handed approach. “Stop helping, or else!” was the message. And it didn’t take long for the backlash to kick in.

Facing mounting criticism, the DOT quickly tried to walk it back, claiming that the temporary flight restrictions had been lifted and that drones are, in fact, welcome—so long as you jump through the proper hoops with law enforcement and first responders. According to a DOT spokesperson, the FAA’s restrictions were requested by local authorities to make sure emergency responders weren’t hindered. But here’s the kicker: while the bureaucrats are busy sorting out permissions and authorizations, people on the ground are desperately trying to save lives. You’d think common sense would tell you that in the midst of a disaster, every second counts. But apparently, that’s a lesson still lost on Pete and the gang in Washington.

And don’t get too excited, because even with the clarification, the FAA and DOT still managed to sound like they were more concerned about airspace than actual people. You know, because that’s the priority after a Category 4 hurricane decimates communities. Meanwhile, as the feds bumble around figuring out how to coordinate relief efforts, it’s private citizens using drones who are making a real difference, searching for survivors and documenting the devastation where FEMA and local responders haven’t been able to reach yet.

Buttigieg, of course, took his cue from the administration’s standard playbook: talk a lot, do little. He made a nice appearance at FEMA, delivered some canned lines about making sure “funding is no obstacle,” and then sat back as the federal government continued to drag its feet on delivering meaningful assistance. Sure, they sent some satellite kits to regional airports, but let’s not pretend they’re moving mountains here.

Meanwhile, the people are left with $750 in federal assistance—thanks, Kamala—and a whole lot of empty promises. Oh, and in case you missed it, FEMA’s coffers are running dry. Why? Because we’ve spent hundreds of millions of dollars on—you guessed it—illegal immigrants. So, while American citizens are digging through the rubble of their homes, wondering when real help will arrive, Biden and his team are busy figuring out how to make their bad optics just a little less disastrous.

In the end, we’ve got drones that were briefly banned, a DOT that can’t seem to communicate a clear message, and a federal government more focused on bureaucracy than boots on the ground. But hey, at least they lifted the drone restrictions—after enough people complained. That’s the Biden administration for you: slow, out of touch, and always a step behind.