North American Aerospace Defense Command (NORAD) F-16 fighter jets intercepted a civilian aircraft Sunday afternoon after it breached restricted airspace near President Donald Trump’s Mar-a-Lago estate.
The incident occurred at approximately 1:15 p.m. ET, when the general aviation aircraft entered a Temporary Flight Restriction (TFR) zone. In response, the jets deployed flares to capture the pilot’s attention, which were visible across the Palm Beach skyline.
In a statement, NORAD emphasized that the flares were a standard communication tool used with “the highest regard for safety” and are designed to burn out quickly, posing no danger to people on the ground. Following the intercept, the F-16s successfully escorted the civilian plane out of the restricted area without further incident.
“The situation was resolved safely,” NORAD confirmed in a social media update.
Authorities have not disclosed the aircraft’s origin or destination, but have confirmed that the pilot was required to switch to emergency radio frequencies to receive instructions and exit the area.
The breach occurred while President Trump was at his Florida estate. He later departed Sunday afternoon aboard Air Force One for Washington, D.C. It remains unclear how close the aircraft came to the president.
This event marks the latest in a series of airspace violations near Mar-a-Lago. Since the beginning of Trump’s second term in January 2025, NORAD has responded to multiple “tracks of interest” in the Palm Beach region.
In an incident reported in April 2025, an F-16 pilot executed what has been described as a “headbutt maneuver” to get the attention of a pilot who violated restricted airspace near the estate. NORAD has said it has tracked more than 20 such incidents since Trump returned to office.
The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) warns that pilots who violate TFRs face severe sanctions, including heavy fines and the potential revocation of their pilot certificates.
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