An F-16 fighter jet employed a “headbutt” maneuver to intercept an aircraft that was flying near President Donald Trump’s Mar-a-Lago club in Florida last Friday, as reported by the U.S. military.
Since President Trump took office in January, the U.S. military has been actively monitoring the airspace surrounding Mar-a-Lago, documenting numerous violations.
On Friday, the Air Force revealed that it had responded to “over 20 tracks of interest” in the skies above Palm Beach since the president’s inauguration on January 20.
According to a statement from the First Air Force at Tyndall Air Force Base in Florida, NORAD F-16 aircraft intercepted a “general aviation aircraft” over Palm Beach at approximately 10:50 a.m. ET on April 4. This term broadly encompasses non-commercial civilian aircraft, as reported by Newsweek. The NORAD aircraft executed a headbutt maneuver to alert the civilian pilot before safely escorting the aircraft away from the area, the Air Force confirmed.
A “headbutt maneuver” generally involves a fighter jet flying very close to another aircraft and positioning itself directly in front of it.
The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) issues Temporary Flight Restrictions (TFRs) to aircrews, which are enforced by NORAD. These restrictions are typically put in place during presidential visits.
On Friday, Trump played golf at Mar-a-Lago following a series of significant tariff announcements that sent shockwaves through global markets. Pilots in the air are also tasked with checking Notices to Airmen, or NOTAMs.
Last month, U.S. Air Force fighter jets intercepted an aircraft that breached a temporary flight restriction by flying over President Trump’s Mar-a-Lago estate in Florida on a Sunday, according to NORAD.
This incident marked the second occurrence within 48 hours that F-16s from the Continental U.S. NORAD region had responded to airspace violations over Palm Beach, as stated by North American Aerospace Defense Command.NORAD has addressed more than 20 tracks of interest that have entered the Temporary Flight Restriction (TFR) area in Palm Beach, Florida, since President Trump’s inauguration on January 20, as further detailed in the statement.
The fighter jets deployed flares during the interception, which were likely visible to the public, in an effort to attract the attention of or communicate with the pilot of the civilian aircraft, according to NORAD.
The statement clarified that flares “burn out quickly and completely, posing no risk to individuals on the ground.”
This incident occurred on Sunday while President Trump was at his golf course in Palm Beach, as reported by the White House press pool.
General Gregory Guillot, commander of NORAD and the U.S. Northern Command, emphasized, “Compliance with TFR procedures is crucial for ensuring flight safety, national security, and the protection of the President.” He noted that these procedures are mandatory, and the recent surge in TFR violations suggests that many civil aviators are neglecting to review the Notices to Airmen (NOTAMs) prior to their flights, as required by the FAA. This oversight has led to multiple interventions by NORAD fighter jets to redirect non-compliant aircraft out of the TFR.
The Air Force stated that it employs a “layered” system of radars, satellites, and fighter jets to identify and address potential threats.
“The identification and monitoring of civilian aircraft illustrate how NORAD fulfills its aerospace warning and control responsibilities for both the United States and Canada,” the Air Force remarked. NORAD operates as a binational command.
General Gregory Guillot further stated, “NORAD and the FAA collaborate closely to ensure the safety of American airspace.”
The FAA will continue to issue TFRs around Mar-a-Lago, which will be enforced by NORAD.
In a separate incident, the U.S. Secret Service reported that an armed man was shot during a confrontation near the White House on Sunday, with the agency noting that this event took place shortly after midnight. Officers encountered the armed individual approximately one block away from the White House on the west side of the area.
