Fighter jets intercept civilian aircraft near Donald Trump’s Florida residence

Reuters

Air force fighter jets intercepted a civilian aircraft in restricted airspace near Donald Trump’s Florida residence, marking over 20 violations since 20 January. NORAD has raised concerns over the frequency of these incidents.

Air force fighter jets intercepted a civilian aircraft that entered temporarily restricted airspace near Donald Trump’s Florida residence on Sunday, bringing the number of such incidents to more than 20 since he took office on 20 January.

The North American Aerospace Defense Command (NORAD) stated that F-16 jets deployed flares to gain the pilot’s attention as Trump was concluding a round of golf at his West Palm Beach course. A similar interception occurred on Saturday morning after his arrival from his private Mar-a-Lago residence.

A permanent flight restriction is in place over Trump’s club, which expands to a 30-nautical-mile radius when he is present. While airspace violations are not uncommon in the congested skies over south Florida, NORAD has raised concerns over the frequency of recent intrusions. Officials confirmed that these incidents have not disrupted Trump’s schedule or posed a security risk.

General Gregory Guillot, commander of NORAD and US Northern Command, emphasised the importance of compliance with temporary flight restrictions (TFRs) for flight safety and national security. He stated that the high number of violations indicates that many civilian pilots are not reviewing notices to airmen (NOTAMs) before flying, as required by the Federal Aviation Administration. NORAD has responded to multiple incidents, guiding aircraft out of restricted airspace.

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