WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. — On Sunday, Air Force fighter jets intercepted a civilian aircraft that had entered the temporarily restricted airspace near Donald Trump’s Florida residence. This incident contributes to more than 20 airspace violations that have occurred since Trump took office on January 20.
North American Aerospace Defense Command (NORAD) released a statement detailing the event, which transpired while Trump was concluding a golf game at his course in West Palm Beach. The F-16 jets deployed flares to catch the attention of the civilian pilot. Additionally, an intercept occurred Saturday morning just after Trump’s arrival at the golf course from his private Mar-a-Lago club and residence.
These airspace breaches in the densely populated South Florida region have necessitated the deployment of fighter jets; however, they did not disrupt Trump’s schedule or compromise his safety, according to officials. Although the flares might have been visible from the ground, NORAD assured that they extinguish rapidly and pose no threat.
Federal authorities have established a permanent flight restriction over Trump’s estate, expanding to a 30-nautical-mile radius whenever the president is there.
While airspace infractions and fighter jet intercepts are not uncommon, NORAD has expressed concern over the increased frequency of these intrusions since Trump’s inauguration. The agency has responded to over 20 incidents, attributing the occurrences to civilian pilots who neglect to verify airspace restrictions before takeoff.
General Gregory Guillot, the commander of NORAD and U.S. Northern Command, emphasized in a statement the critical nature of adhering to Temporary Flight Restriction (TFR) procedures to ensure aviation safety, national security, and presidential security. He highlighted that the procedures are mandatory, and the elevated number of recent TFR breaches indicates a failure among many civilian aviators to consult Notices to Airmen (NOTAMS) as mandated by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), resulting in multiple NORAD fighter aircraft interventions to redirect noncompliant aircraft out of the restricted area.
