US fighter jets deploy flares to chase suspicious plane away from Trump golf club
The incident occurred around 12:50pm local time, when the general aviation aircraft entered a Temporary Flight Restriction (TFR) zone established due to Trump's presence in the area. NORAD deployed military jets to escort the plane, using flares to alert the pilot and ensure its safe removal from the zone.
'The flares – which may have been visible to the public – are employed with the highest regard for the safety of the intercepted aircraft and people on the ground,' NORAD said in a statement on Sunday. 'This intercept was preceded by one separate TFR violation earlier in the day, bringing the total to five unauthorized incursions over the course of the weekend.'
The command noted that the flares are designed to burn out quickly and pose no danger to people on the ground. The aircraft was safely escorted out of the area without further incident.
NORAD issued a renewed warning to general aviation pilots to check all Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) Notices to Air Missions (NOTAMs) before departure. 'Adhering to FAA restricted airspace protocols is mandatory, regardless of geographical region, airframe, or aircrew,' the statement added.
NORAD operates a layered air defense network of radars, satellites, and fighter jets across North America to detect and respond to unauthorized aircraft incursions.
Sunday's flare deployment follows a similar incident last month, when an F-16 fighter jet intercepted a civilian plane over Bedminster and performed a standard 'headbutt' maneuver to redirect the aircraft. That day also saw five separate TFR violations.
Trump has frequently stayed at the Trump National Golf Club in Bedminster since returning to the White House in January. Temporary flight restrictions are routinely activated in the area during his visits, and any violations may lead to fines, interrogation, or suspension of pilot licenses.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Russia Today
12 minutes ago
- Russia Today
African state agrees deal with US to accept deported migrants
Rwanda has agreed to receive migrants deported from the US, Reuters reported on Monday, citing a government spokesperson. Kigali will receive a grant from Washington in return, an anonymous official from the African nation was quoted as saying, although the amount was not disclosed. Since returning to the White House in January, US President Donald Trump has directed federal agencies to carry out mass deportations, expand detention capacity, and secure third-country resettlement deals to offload asylum seekers, despite criticism and protests across the country. Rwandan government spokesperson Yolande Makolo told Reuters that the country's decision to accept deportees reflects its past experience with the 'hardship of displacement' and 'societal values are founded on reintegration and rehabilitation.' Rwanda is recovering from the 1994 genocide, during which more than 800,000 ethnic Tutsis and moderate Hutus were killed and over 2 million others displaced, according to UN figures. 'Under the agreement, Rwanda has the ability to approve each individual proposed for resettlement,' Makolo stated. 'Those approved will be provided with workforce training, healthcare, and accommodation support to jumpstart their lives in Rwanda, giving them the opportunity to contribute to one of the fastest-growing economies in the world over the last decade,' she added. The latest arrangement with Washington, reportedly signed in June, follows a controversial deal Kigali reached with Britain in 2022 to receive thousands of undocumented migrants from the UK – a scheme that was scrapped last year by the new British government. In March, Reuters reported that Rwanda had requested £50 million ($63.5 million) in compensation from the UK, although no deportation flights had taken place. Last month, the Trump administration deported five 'barbaric criminals' to Eswatini, whom the Department of Homeland Security said their home countries had refused to take back. Earlier, it removed eight people to war-torn South Sudan after threatening visa sanctions over the country's alleged refusal to accept deportees. According to Reuters, a Rwandan official said Washington has sent an initial list of ten people for vetting, adding that only those who have completed prison terms or face no charges will be accepted.
Russia Today
12 minutes ago
- Russia Today
US aiming to ‘win second space race'
Acting NASA Administrator Sean Duffy has reportedly directed the agency to accelerate its timeline for placing a nuclear reactor on the Moon, in what US officials describe as a bid to outpace China and Russia in a new era of space competition. The directive, first reported by Politico on Monday, calls for the development of a 100-kilowatt fission reactor capable of operating under lunar conditions by 2030. The move was framed as part of a strategic effort for space supremacy. 'This is about winning the second space race,' a senior NASA official told the outlet. Washington claimed victory in the first race against the USSR after successfully landing a manned mission on the Moon in 1969. According to the document, also cited by other outlets, 'it is imperative the agency move quickly' in securing the technology for future exploration and national security projects. The memo warned that if another country succeeds in deploying a lunar reactor first, it could 'declare a keep-out zone which would significantly inhibit the United States.' Nuclear power is viewed as a breakthrough for sustained space exploration. Russia is developing its own space-based reactor for the Zeus nuclear-powered space tug, formally known as the Transport and Energy Module. NASA previously funded the development of a 40-kilowatt lunar fission system, awarding three companies $5 million each to study its feasibility. Long lunar nights and shadowed regions make solar energy unreliable, prompting interest in alternative solutions. Duffy, who also serves as secretary of transportation, was appointed acting NASA chief last month by US President Donald Trump. Under the Trump administration, the agency's focus has shifted to manned missions to the Moon and Mars, while funding for robotic science missions has been reduced as part of broader government spending cuts.
Russia Today
42 minutes ago
- Russia Today
Sanctions on Russia's partners ‘obvious next step' – US NATO envoy (VIDEO)
Targeting Russia's partners with sanctions and tariffs is the 'obvious next step' in US efforts to mediate the Ukraine conflict, Washington's ambassador to NATO, Matthew Whitaker, says. Moscow has stated that it is open to talks, holding three rounds of US-mediated negotiations with Kiev in the past two months that resulted in major prisoner swaps and settlement proposals. It views the conflict as a Western proxy war and has said the hostilities would end if Kiev accepts neutrality and demilitarization. US President Donald Trump has expressed frustration with delays in settlement efforts and threatened to place 100% tariffs and secondary sanctions on Russia's trade partners if a deal is not reached by August 8. 'President Trump's been clear that this war needs to end… And... is creating the environment that Russia will come to the table and negotiate a ceasefire,' Whitaker told Bloomberg TV on Monday. Matthew Whitaker, US ambassador to NATO, discusses the Netherlands contributing €500 million ($579 million) to Ukraine's defense as part of a US initiative on "Balance of Power" 'Secondary sanctions and tariffs against those that are paying for this war, like China, India, and Brazil, by buying the oil that Russia is producing, is an obvious next step to try to bring this war to an end.' While Trump has acknowledged that new sanctions might prove ineffective, Whitaker said Washington sees targeting Russia's oil trade as worth trying. 'I think this is going to really hit them where it counts, and that is in their main revenue source, which is the sale of oil to these countries,' he stated. On Monday, Trump threatened New Delhi with new tariffs unless it halts Russian oil purchases. India has refused to take part in the sanctions on Russia, calling its energy trade a matter of national interest. Moscow has faced waves of Western sanctions since the Ukraine conflict escalated in 2022. It has condemned them as illegal and counterproductive, adding that they have largely failed, as Russia redirected most of its trade to Asia, with China and India now its biggest energy buyers. Russian officials say the sanctions will not alter the course of the conflict and have downplayed Trump's threats, adding that the country has built 'immunity' after years of sanctions.
