U.S. F-16 fighter jets were scrambled on Saturday to intercept a civilian aircraft that entered temporarily restricted airspace over Palm Beach, Florida, near President Trump’s Mar-a-Lago residence.
The jet crews deployed flares to get the pilot’s attention before escorting the aircraft safely out of the restricted zone. NORAD emphasised that the flares burn out quickly and do not pose a danger to people on the ground.
The incident is the latest in a series of airspace violations over Palm Beach, with NORAD reporting more than 40 such cases since Trump took office. The command reminded general aviation pilots to check NOTAMs and avoid temporary flight restrictions, noting that military jets will take necessary action to ensure compliance. Trump was at Mar-a-Lago for the Thanksgiving weekend at the time of the incident.