NORAD reveals at least 24 violations of restricted airspace over Trump's Mar-a-Lago since inauguration
After multiple assassination attempts and amid incessant hateful rhetoric from his political opponents, there is no question that President Donald Trump's life is at grave risk from those who intend to cause him harm.
That includes at Trump's Mar-a-Lago resort residence in South Florida, where U.S. military fighter jets have been scrambled no less than two dozen times since his inauguration in January to intercept civilian aircraft flying in restricted airspace, WFLA reported.
Given the ever-present threats against the president, the frequency of the military's necessary interceptions over Mar-a-Lago has become a cause for concern and prompted relevant federal authorities to issue a reminder and stark warning to civilian pilots to not violate airspace restrictions.
Restricted airspace over Trump's Mar-a-Lago residence
The Federal Aviation Administration has the authority to designate certain areas of airspace as subject to Temporary Flight Restrictions, or TRFs, that are monitored at all times and enforced by the North American Aerospace Defense Command, or NORAD.
Those TRFs, which are functionally equivalent to a street being blocked off on the ground, are typically issued to maintain the safety and security of the airspace above certain sensitive locations on the ground, such as during and after natural disasters, in emergency or national security situations, or for large gatherings of people and/or dignitaries such as major sporting events.
The restrictions are made public through what is known as a Notice to Airmen, or NOTAM, and it is the responsibility of all civilian aircraft pilots and drone operators to keep themselves informed of any and all applicable TRFs before flying.
There are some exceptions to the TRFs and waivers can be obtained, such as for public safety agencies and first responders or the media, but unauthorized incursions into a TRF can result in warnings, fines, criminal charges, the suspension or revocation of certifications and licenses, or even being shot down in extreme instances.
At least two dozen violations warranting military interceptions
WPTV reported that there were two unauthorized violations over the prior weekend of the TRF that has been permanently established about President Trump's Mar-a-Lago residence -- a restricted zone that expands to a 30-mile radius when the president is on the premises.
Both of those incursions warranted interceptions by U.S. Air Force F-16 fighter jets that used flares to grab the attention of the wayward pilots and guide them out of the off-limits area.
According to NORAD, fighter jets have been scrambled at least 24 times over Mar-a-Lago since Trump was inaugurated in January, with each flight costing taxpayers at least $50,000, and on at least eight of those interceptions the military jets were compelled to fly close to the offending civilian aircraft and force them to alter their course out of the TRF.
Steven Armstrong, the vice director of NORAD operations, told WPTV of the interceptions, "We do our absolute best to make sure we have a positive outcome," and acknowledged that most unauthorized incursions are accidental or because of ignorance, though he stressed that keeping the president safe was an absolute priority and that all options were available to achieve that goal.
A reminder and warning from NORAD
Following the latest violations of the TRF over Mar-a-Lago last weekend, a reminder about the importance of TRFs and a warning for those who violate them was issued by Air Force Gen. Gregory Guillot, the commander of both NORAD and U.S. Northern Command.
"Adherence to TFR procedures is essential to ensure flight safety, national security, and the security of the President," the general said in a statement.
"The procedures are not optional," he added disapprovingly, "and the excessive number of recent TFR violations indicates many civil aviators are not reading Notice to Airmen, or NOTAMS, before each flight as required by the FAA, and has resulted in multiple responses by NORAD fighter aircraft to guide offending aircraft out of the TFR."