Fighter jets intercepted several planes after 11 unauthorized flights violated restricted airspace over President Trump’s NJ stay.

Fighter Jets Scramble as Aircraft Enter Restricted Airspace

Military fighter jets were deployed to safeguard President Trump during his holiday weekend stay in Bedminster, New Jersey, after multiple aircraft violated temporary flight restriction (TFR) airspace over the area. North American Aerospace Defense Command (NORAD) reported that 11 unauthorized aircraft entered the restricted airspace despite mandatory federal restrictions.

NORAD officials confirmed that at least three aircraft were intercepted on Sunday alone. The first incident occurred around 10:30 a.m. when a civilian plane violated the TFR and was safely escorted out by NORAD. Two more interceptions followed later in the day, with each unauthorized aircraft promptly guided away from the restricted zone.

General Gregory Guillot, Commander of NORAD and US Northern Command, emphasized the critical nature of TFR compliance. “NORAD and the Federal Aviation Administration aim to keep the skies over America safe, with close attention paid to areas with Temporary Flight Restrictions to ensure flight safety, national security, and the security of the President,” he said.

Guillot attributed the spike in violations to civil aviators’ failure to read Notice to Airmen (NOTAMs) prior to flights. “TFR procedures are mandatory, and the excessive number of TFR violations this weekend indicates some civil aviators are not reading Notice to Airmen, or NOTAMs, before each flight as required by the FAA,” he noted.

Standard Protocols for Interceptions

When unauthorized aircraft enter restricted airspace, NORAD armed fighter jets intercept and guide the offending planes out. In one Saturday incident, an aircraft was safely escorted out just before 2:40 p.m. using a standard “headbutt” maneuver, where a military jet flies directly in front of a civilian plane at a close but safe distance, visually signaling the pilot to follow or change course.

General Guillot explained, “Should the pilot of an aircraft happen to find itself intercepted by either fighters or helicopters, they should immediately come up on frequency 121.5 or 243.0 and turn around to reverse course until receiving additional instructions on one of those frequencies.”

The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) and NORAD jointly stressed the importance of reviewing NOTAMs and adhering to all restricted airspace protocols. “It is critically important for North American flight safety that Temporary Flight Restriction violations are avoided,” NORAD stated. “All pilots must familiarize themselves with updates to restricted airspace, including reviewing new and existing FAA NOTAMs that impact their flight plans and activities. Adhering to FAA restricted airspace protocols is mandatory, regardless of geographical region, airframe, or aircrew.”

Officials urged all private and commercial pilots to check for updated restrictions before every flight, reiterating that adherence to flight safety protocols is essential to protect both national security and the safety of the president.

The series of airspace violations over the weekend highlights ongoing challenges in maintaining secure skies during presidential visits and underscores the need for greater awareness among aviators of their legal responsibilities when planning and executing flights near restricted areas.