The U.S. Air Force was forced to take swift action on Sunday as fighter jets intercepted a civilian aircraft breaching the restricted airspace near Donald Trump’s Mar-a-Lago residence in Florida. This latest incident marks over 20 airspace violations since Trump took office, raising concerns over ongoing security lapses.
According to a statement from North American Aerospace Defense Command (NORAD), the unauthorized aircraft entered the temporarily restricted airspace while Trump was wrapping up a round of golf at his West Palm Beach course. In response, F-16 fighter jets deployed flares to get the pilot’s attention before escorting the plane out of the area. A similar intercept occurred on Saturday morning, just after Trump arrived at Mar-a-Lago.
The crowded skies over South Florida have led to repeated airspace intrusions, but NORAD officials insist these incidents have not disrupted Trump’s schedule or compromised his security. However, with over 20 interceptions since January 20, military leaders are growing increasingly frustrated with pilots who fail to follow flight restrictions.
Whenever Trump is at Mar-a-Lago, federal officials expand the no-fly zone to a 30-nautical-mile radius, making it a strictly enforced airspace. Despite this, NORAD says many civilian aviators are ignoring Notice to Airmen (NOTAMs)… the essential alerts issued by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) to warn pilots of restricted zones.
General Gregory Guillot, commander of NORAD and U.S. Northern Command, issued a stern warning about the rising number of violations, stating:
“Adherence to TFR (Temporary Flight Restriction) procedures is essential to ensure flight safety, national security, and the security of the President. The procedures are not optional, and the excessive number of recent TFR violations indicates many civil aviators are not reading NOTAMs before each flight as required by the FAA.”
With airspace intrusions becoming a routine headache for military forces, NORAD is urging all pilots to stay updated on flight restrictions… before they find themselves face-to-face with Air Force fighter jets.
