U.S. Air Force fighter jets recently intercepted a civilian aircraft that entered the temporarily restricted airspace near Donald Trump’s Florida residence, marking over 20 such violations since he assumed office on January 20.
According to North American Aerospace Defense Command (NORAD), the incident occurred as Trump completed a round of golf at his West Palm Beach golf course. F-16 jets deployed flares to alert the civilian pilot during the operation.
Another interception was conducted Saturday morning shortly after Trump arrived at the golf course from his private Mar-a-Lago club and residence.
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The airspace violations in the heavily congested South Florida airspace have prompted fighter jet intercepts; however, officials confirmed that these incidents did not disrupt Trump’s schedule or compromise his security.
NORAD indicated that while the flares may have been visible from the ground, they burn out quickly and do not pose a danger.
Federal authorities enforce a permanent flight restriction around Trump’s club, which expands to a 30 nautical mile (55 km) radius when the president is present.
Although violations and intercepts are relatively routine, NORAD has expressed concern regarding the rising frequency of these incidents since Trump’s inauguration, attributing over 20 responses to civilian pilots failing to adhere to regulations that require them to verify airspace restrictions prior to takeoff.
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General Gregory Guillot, the commander of NORAD and U.S. Northern Command, emphasized, “Adherence to Temporary Flight Restriction (TFR) procedures is essential for ensuring flight safety, national security, and the protection of the President.” He added, “The procedures are not optional, and the excessive number of recent TFR violations suggests that many civil aviators are neglecting to review Notice to Airmen, or NOTAMS, before each flight as mandated by the FAA, resulting in multiple NORAD responses to guide non-compliant aircraft out of the TFR.”
