NORAD F-16 fighter jets intercepted two general aviation aircraft that entered temporarily restricted airspace over Bedminster, New Jersey, on Sunday while President Donald Trump was spending the weekend at his golf club.
A third aircraft later triggered an alert as Trump prepared to leave the area, according to Fox News Digital. Officials told the outlet that the pilot reestablished communications and complied with instructions before a NORAD interception became necessary.
The third alert appeared to hold up Trump’s departure by roughly 13 minutes, Fox reported. Emergency vehicles, law enforcement officers and U.S. Secret Service agents were seen moving into position near the runway before the president’s scheduled departure at about 5 p.m. Eastern time.
Officials did not publicly identify the pilots or say why the aircraft entered the restricted airspace. There was also no indication that any of the planes posed a direct threat to Trump.
In an official statement, NORAD confirmed that its F-16s intercepted two general aviation aircraft on Aug. 9 and safely escorted them out of the restricted area. The statement did not mention the third alert described by Fox.
Video from the area showed an F-16 approaching what appeared to be a small Cessna near Jefferson Township, outside Bedminster, during one of the first two interceptions.
Trump was at Trump National Golf Club Bedminster, which hosted the four-day LIV Golf New York tournament. NORAD had warned pilots before the weekend that it would enforce multiple temporary flight restrictions established by the Federal Aviation Administration over the region.
The command also said residents could see U.S. Army ground-based defense systems in the area. Those assets were operating under the Continental U.S. NORAD Region as part of the military’s routine layered defense of restricted airspace.
The reason for the violations remains unclear. NORAD told Reuters that determining whether the pilots entered the restricted area by mistake would be up to the FAA. The White House did not immediately respond to the news agency’s request for comment, and Trump had not publicly addressed the incidents as of publication.
The episode prompted another warning to private pilots to review Notices to Airmen, commonly called NOTAMs, before every flight. Those notices provide current information about temporary restrictions and other flight procedures.
“Pilots: check your Notice to Airmen (NOTAMS) and FAA Temporary Flight Restrictions,” NORAD said in a social media post quoted by Stars and Stripes.
NORAD instructed any pilot intercepted by military aircraft to immediately tune a radio to emergency frequency 121.5 or 243.0 and reverse course until receiving further directions.
