US Air Force fighter jets intercepted yet another aircraft in restricted airspace near President Trump’s New Jersey golf club on Sunday — the 11th dangerous incursion of the weekend.
The small private aircraft were all directed away from the Trump National Golf Club in Bedminster — with the most recent incident happening Sunday morning, according to the Air Force.
Some of the planes were met by F-16 fighter jets operated by the North American Aerospace Defense Command (NORAD), and forced out of the airspace.
“NORAD and the FAA aim to keep the skies over America safe, with close attention paid to areas with Temporary Flight Restrictions to ensure flight safety, national security, and the security of the President,” Gen. Gregory Guillot of NORAD said.
President Trump spent part of the holiday weekend at Bedminster. He departed the White House for his golf club Friday evening, and was scheduled to return to the capital Sunday afternoon, according to his calendar.
Fighter jets used what are known as “headbutt” maneuvers to get the attention of the civilian pilots during some of the interceptions this weekend, Reuters reported.
That involves cutting close across a target’s nose so an air wake rattles their plane and draws their attention, according to the War Zone.
The weekend’s incursions over the Bedminster airspace are just the latest in recent weeks, and NORAD has advised local pilots to thoroughly check local restrictions before taking to the air.
“Should the pilot of an aircraft happen to find itself intercepted by either fighters or helicopters, they should immediately come up on frequency 121.5 or 243.0 and turn around to reverse course until receiving additional instructions on one of those frequencies,” Gen. Guillot advised pilots, according to DVIDS.
