U.S. military jets intercepted a civilian aircraft Saturday after it entered temporarily restricted airspace over Palm Beach, Florida, near President Trump’s Mar-a-Lago estate, the North American Aerospace Defense Command (NORAD) reported.
The plane entered the restricted zone around 4:20 p.m. EST, prompting NORAD to dispatch F-16 fighter jets. The jets first deployed flares to capture the pilot’s attention before escorting the aircraft out of the restricted airspace. NORAD emphasized that the flares are safe, burn out quickly, and pose no risk to people on the ground.
NORAD reminded pilots to review “Notices to Airmen” (NOTAMs) before flights, which provide updates on temporary flight restrictions and other airspace advisories. The command said military aircraft will respond to violations of restricted zones as needed to ensure compliance.
The Saturday incident followed multiple violations earlier in the week over Palm Beach. NORAD said it has tracked more than 40 “tracks of interest” violating temporary flight restrictions in the West Palm Beach area since President Trump began his second term in January. A “track of interest” refers to any airborne object that could pose a threat to U.S. national security.
Mar-a-Lago, Trump’s Palm Beach estate, and his West Palm golf club were both in the area during the Thanksgiving weekend. NORAD noted that similar violations occurred in March, with jets intercepting 20 civilian aircraft near the property. In 2017, during Trump’s first term, F-15 fighters were scrambled to intercept an unresponsive plane near Mar-a-Lago, producing a sonic boom that startled local residents.