Two single-engine airplanes were intercepted by F-16 fighter jets in separate instances on Friday evening as they entered temporarily restricted airspace over President Trump’s Bedminster, New Jersey, golf resort.
The president was vacationing at the resort at the time that the planes ceased communicating with air traffic control and flew into the no-fly zone.
The unrelated incidents occurred first at 7:30 p.m., then at 8 p.m. on Friday, triggering a response from the North American Aerospace Defense Command. NORAD dispatched F-16 fighter jets to intercept the small aircraft. Both planes reestablished communication with air traffic control shortly thereafter with no further incident.
During Trump’s last visit to the New Jersey golf resort, the Trump National Golf Club, F-16 fighter jets were dispatched for a similar incident involving a small aircraft that had entered restricted air space. In that case, the pilot was forced to land at a local airport, where he was met by law enforcement.
The president will return to Washington, D.C. on Sunday but is scheduled to return to the golf resort later this month for his annual 10-day vacation.
