On Sunday, Air Force fighter jets intercepted a civilian aircraft that had entered the temporarily restricted airspace near President Donald Trump’s residence in Florida, marking over 20 such violations since he took office on January 20.
According to a statement from North American Aerospace Defense Command (NORAD), the interception occurred as Trump concluded a round of golf at his West Palm Beach course, with F-16s deploying flares to alert the civilian pilot. Another intercept took place on Saturday morning shortly after Mr. Trump arrived at the golf course from his private Mar-a-Lago club and residence.
These airspace breaches in the heavily trafficked South Florida airspace have led to fighter jet intercepts, but officials report that they did not disrupt Mr. Trump’s schedule or compromise his security. NORAD mentioned that the flares might have been visible from the ground, but they burn out rapidly and are not hazardous.
Federal authorities maintain a continuous flight restriction over Mr. Trump’s club, which expands to a radius of 30 nautical miles when the president is present.
While violations and intercepts are considered relatively routine, NORAD has expressed concern over the rising frequency of these intrusions since Mr. Trump’s inauguration, indicating that they have responded to over 20 incidents and attributing the problem to civilian pilots failing to comply with regulations that require checking for airspace restrictions prior to takeoff.
NORAD has encouraged aircrews to consult Notice to Airmen, or NOTAMs, from the FAA prior to flying, particularly in the Mar-a-Lago area. The FAA utilizes NOTAMs to inform pilots of temporary flight restrictions, which prevent aircraft from entering certain airspaces for designated durations. Such restrictions may be implemented for “safety or security purposes,” including natural disasters, major sporting events, or national security emergencies, according to the FAA.
“Following TFR procedures is crucial to maintain flight safety, national security, and the security of the President,” Gen. Gregory Guillot, the commander of NORAD and US Northern Command, stated. “These procedures are not optional, and the high number of recent TFR violations indicates that many civil aviators are not reviewing Notice to Airmen, or NOTAMs, before every flight as required by the FAA, leading to multiple NORAD fighter aircraft responses to direct infringing aircraft out of the TFR.”
In 2017, during Mr. Trump’s initial term, two F-15 fighter jets were dispatched to intercept an unresponsive aircraft near Mar-a-Lago, resulting in a sonic boom that startled local residents.
