A tense situation played out near West Palm Beach after US fighter jets were rushed into the air to intercept a plane that had suddenly stopped responding, at a time when Donald Trump was in the area, WLT reported. The incident took place just hours before Air Force One was expected to fly Donald Trump back to Washington, DC.
F-16 jets scrambled after unresponsive plane entered Trump’s area
The trouble began when a general aviation aircraft lost communication with air traffic control near Palm Beach International Airport. As contact dropped, the aircraft entered a Temporary Flight Restriction (TFR) zone, a protected airspace that is closely monitored, especially when high-profile figures are nearby.
With no immediate response from the pilot, officials treated the situation as a potential security concern. Flights at the airport were briefly halted as authorities rushed to deal with the aircraft.
Fighter jets and flares sent in
In the early moments, there was some confusion about what exactly had happened. Initial reports suggested that a drone might have entered the area, triggering the security response.
In response, the US Air Force deployed two F-16 fighter jets to intercept the aircraft. Since the pilot was not responding at first, flares were released to grab attention and signal the aircraft. Officials later explained the sequence. “The civilian aircraft violated the Temporary Flight Restriction (TFR) at approximately 1:15 p.m. Eastern Daylight Time. The aircraft was safely escorted out of the area by NORAD aircraft,” according to WLT.
🚨 UPDATE: F-16 fighter jets intercepted an unresponsive aircraft in restricted air space around West Palm Beach while President Trump was present
— Nick Sortor (@nicksortor) March 29, 2026
The F-16s had to deploy FLARES to get the pilot to respond
I’d imagine that pilot needs a new pair of pants pic.twitter.com/zehr4kfHmy https://t.co/ANhWmZZkkH
They also addressed concerns about the use of flares: “The flares were used to draw attention from or communicate with the pilot. Flares are employed with the highest regard for safety, burn out quickly and completely, and pose no danger to people on the ground.”
A Secret Service spokesperson explained that the helicopter seen in the area was not connected to a drone incident. “While airspace violations are relatively common, particularly outside of Washington, DC, that helicopter referenced in the tweet was actually authorised for that specific area and was not related to a drone or Temporary Flight Restriction, TFR, violation.”
No threat to Trump or Air Force One
Both the White House and Secret Service confirmed that neither Donald Trump nor Air Force One was ever in danger. A White House official said: “A general aviation aircraft was briefly out of communication with the air traffic control tower at Palm Beach International Airport, but contact was ultimately established and the ground stop was lifted,” according to WLT.
They further clarified: “There was no drone incursion or concern regarding Air Force One, which is not slated to take off until this evening.”
Once communication with the pilot was restored, the aircraft was safely escorted out of the restricted zone. The temporary ground stop at the airport was lifted, and normal operations resumed soon after.