FAA lifts El Paso flight restriction after brief airport shutdown
El Paso Times19 hrs
FAA Lifts El Paso Airspace Closure
Was the El Paso airport closure a chaotic failure or decisive action against cartel drones that worked as intended?
Above: A sign at the El Paso International Airport (ELP) in El Paso, Texas, on Dec. 25, 2025. Image credit: Kirby Lee/Getty Images
The Spin
Republican narrative
Mexican cartel drones have repeatedly tested U.S. airspace along the southern border, but the risks posed to airborne assets this time were even higher. Once drones entered restricted airspace near El Paso, the FAA rightly imposed a temporary flight restriction until defense officials neutralized the threat. Security protocols have worked as intended.
Democratic narrative
The El Paso airport closure was a chaotic mess with zero transparency and conflicting explanations that don't add up. Officials were blindsided by the sudden shutdown, and the administration's muddled responses reveal either incompetence or a dangerous lack of coordination. This debacle exposes systemic failures in how agencies communicate during critical operations.
Metaculus Prediction
Public Figures
Political split
LEFT
RIGHT
© 2026 Improve the News Foundation. All rights reserved.Version 6.18.0
© 2026 Improve the News Foundation.
All rights reserved.
Version 6.18.0