NORAD fighter jets intercepted a civilian pilot who entered restricted airspace over President Donald Trump’s Mar-a-Lago Club for the second time in two days. The incident occurred on Sunday at about 1:15 p.m., with NORAD’s F-16s guiding the aircraft safely out of the area. Flares were used during the intercept to alert the pilot, with NORAD emphasizing that these flares are deployed with utmost safety precautions.
General Gregory Guillot stressed the importance of adhering to flight restrictions for safety and national security. He highlighted the concerning trend of pilots not following Notice to Airmen (NOTAMs) before flights, leading to multiple responses by NORAD fighters. NORAD has intercepted over 20 violations of flight restrictions over Mar-a-Lago since Trump’s presidency began.
Temporary flight restrictions are enforced during Trump’s visits to Mar-a-Lago, affecting all aircraft, including commercial jetliners at Palm Beach International Airport. The most recent flight restriction period began on Friday evening and ended on Sunday evening. Trump’s recent visit to Mar-a-Lago, his fifth since taking office, was accompanied by notable figures like Elon Musk and Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick.
For more information, contact reporter Kristina Webb at kwebb@pbdailynews.com. Subscribe to support local journalism.
