The North American Aerospace Defense Command (NORAD) is urging pilots to do their homework before taking flight after a fighter jet was scrambled Saturday afternoon to intercept a civilian plane that had entered restricted airspace where President Donald Trump was spending his holiday weekend.
The incident took place in the skies over Bedminster, New Jersey, home of one of the president’s favorite golf courses. The pilot flew into the restricted zone just before 2:40 p.m. ET, according to NORAD.
The pilot flew into a temporary flight restriction (TFR) zone just before 2:40 p.m. ET, according to a NORAD statement. It was the fourth violation of the day, with yet another, a fifth, coming later.
It prompted a NORAD post on X:
“If you’re flying anywhere near Bedminster, NJ, you’d better check NOTAMs 1353, 1358, 2246, and 2247,” 1st Air Force (America’s AOC) posted on X. “No excuses! Stay sharp, stay legal, and stay out of restricted airspace.”
On the fourth incursion, the fighter jet used what’s known as a “headbutt” maneuver to get the civilian pilot’s attention and then escorted the plane out of the airspace.
The maneuver, where the jet flies across the nose of the other aircraft, has also been used in intercepts over Mar-a-Lago, the president’s Florida home.
NORAD uses a layered defense system of radar, satellites and fighter aircraft designed to protect U.S. and Canadian skies.
The airspace over Bedminster or Mar-a-Lago is restricted any time Trump is in town. Pilots can be fined and lose their license for ignoring restricted air space.
Officials report restricted airspace over the president has been violated in 2025 more than two dozen times.
Contributor Lowell Cauffiel is the best-selling author of Below the Line and nine other crime novels and nonfiction titles. See lowellcauffiel.com for more
