Department of Energy’s National Nuclear Security Administration Deploys Helicopters Over D.C. — Scanning for ‘Radiological or Nuclear Irregularities’ Ahead of President Trump’s Historic Inauguration

An alarm was triggered during the flight, though it remains unclear whether it indicated a nuclear threat

By Jim Hᴏft

January 17, 2025

As the nation’s capital braces for President Donald Trump’s historic inauguration, the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) is ramping up unprecedented security measures.

Helicopters equipped with cutting-edge radiation detection technology are buzzing low over Washington, D.C., scanning for potential “radiological or nuclear irregularities.”

In an exclusive look at the security preparations, CBS’ Nicole Sganga joined Department of Energy senior scientist Jacqueline Brandon aboard one of the agency’s highly specialized helicopters.

Flying in a meticulous grid over the National Mall, the aircraft’s mission is clear: detect and neutralize threats like dirty bombs or other nuclear hazards.

“You’re trying to create a blueprint of what the radiation in Washington, DC, looks like ahead of the inauguration,” Sganga asked during the flight.

“Correct,” confirmed Brandon. With only two helicopters of this kind in the Department of Energy’s arsenal, every second of airtime counts. “If we find a radiological irregularity, we’ll investigate it even further,” she added.

Equipped with highly sensitive technology capable of detecting minute variations in radiation levels, these helicopters serve as an airborne watchdog.

Shockingly, during the flight, an alarm went off.

“That’s an alarm,” Brandon said. “It’s a slight variation in our spectra, is what it’s saying.”

WATCH:

The DOE’s aerial scans are just one layer in a multi-agency effort to secure what is expected to be one of the most heavily attended inaugurations in American history.

It can be recalled the Nuclear Emergency Support Team (NEST) team conducted low-altitude helicopter flights over downtown Washington, D.C., from December 2 to December 13, 2024.

These efforts were part of a months-long operation to measure and monitor background radiation levels, ensuring authorities can rapidly respond to any radiological threats.

During a press conference on Monday, Woke Mayor Muriel Bowser, along with district and federal authorities, assured the public that there are no known threats to President Trump’s inauguration.

“We are not currently tracking any specific or credible threats to the inaugural ceremony or to the Capitol complex,” FBI special agent David Sundberg said Monday.

“We will continue to work closely with our partners to share information and identify and disrupt any threat that may emerge.”

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J. Thomas Manger, chief of the U.S. Capitol Police, said that the primary concern is the “lone actor” threat.

“That threat of the lone actor remains the biggest justification for us maintaining this heightened state of alert throughout the next week,” Manger said.

The ceremony is expected to draw 250,000 ticketed guests along with tens of thousands of additional attendees, including protestors.

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