Fighter jets were scrambled to intercept civilian planes that go too close to Mar-a-Lago while Trump was there for Thanksgiving

Fighter jets were scrambled on multiple occasions to intercept civilian aircraft that got too close to Donald Trump’s Mar-a-Lago residence while the president was there celebrating Thanksgiving.

In one incident the jets set off flares to get the attention of the pilots and turn them out of the airspace in Palm Beach, according to the North American Aerospace Defense.

There were a total of nine airspace violations, seven of which required NORAD to intervene, between November 25 and 30, a spokesperson for the agency said.

Temporary flight restrictions were in place during that time, and are put into effect by the Federal Aviation Administration every time Trump is in residence at his sprawling Florida estate. The restrictions apply to all aircraft, including commercial and general aviation.

Since the January 2025 presidential inauguration, NORAD has responded to over 40 incidents of violating temporary flight restrictions in the West Palm Beach area.

There were a total of nine airspace violations near Mar-a-Lago, seven of which required NORAD to intervene, between November 25 and 30, a spokesperson for the agency said. Temporary flight restrictions were in place during that time, and are put into effect by the Federal Aviation Administration every time Trump is in residence at his sprawling Florida estate (Getty Images)

On November 29, an F-16 fighter aircraft intercepted a civilian aircraft after it entered the restricted airspace at about 4:20 p.m., NORAD said.

The aircraft was safely escorted out of the area through standard procedures, though flares were required to communicate with the pilot.

“The flares, which may have been visible to the public, are used with the highest regard for safety, burn out quickly and completely, and pose no danger to people on the ground,” NORAD said in a statement.

The agency noted multiple general aviation aircraft violations of restricted airspace in the Palm Beach area had been made earlier that week.

The flight restrictions consist of two concentric rings. The inner ring has a radius of 10 nautical miles where most flights are banned, and the outer ring has a 30 nautical-mile radius where more movement of aircraft is allowed, according to the FAA.

Palm Beach Daily News reports that a smaller set of temporary flight restrictions went into effect in the airspace over Mar-a-Lago in October, creating a no-fly zone for 1 nautical mile in the airspace in each direction from Mar-a-Lago.

The restrictions took effect on October 20 and will remain in place for one year, according to the outlet.