Robert Besser
13 Mar 2025

WEST PALM BEACH, Florida: Air Force fighter jets have stopped a civilian plane that entered restricted airspace near Donald Trump's Florida home.

This was the 21st time an aircraft had violated the no-fly zone since he took office on January 20.

The North American Aerospace Defense Command (NORAD) said the incident happened last weekend while Trump was finishing a round of golf at his West Palm Beach course. F-16 jets used flares to signal the pilot to leave the area. A similar intercept happened on the morning of March 8, shortly after Trump arrived from his Mar-a-Lago residence.

Officials said these airspace violations in busy South Florida led to fighter jet responses but did not disrupt Trump's schedule or security. NORAD stated that while flares may be visible from the ground, they burn out quickly and are not dangerous.

A no-fly zone is always in place over Trump's club, expanding to 30 nautical miles when he is there. While these incidents are common, NORAD is concerned about the increasing number of violations. It has responded to more than 20 cases and says pilots must check for airspace restrictions before flying.

"Adherence to TFR procedures is essential to ensure flight safety, national security, and the security of the President," Gen. Gregory Guillot, the commander of NORAD and US Northern Command, said in a statement.

"The procedures are not optional, and the excessive number of recent TFR violations indicates many civil aviators are not reading Notice to Airmen, or NOTAMS, before each flight as required by the FAA, and has resulted in multiple responses by NORAD fighter aircraft to guide offending aircraft out of the TFR."