A civilian plane's entry into restricted airspace near Mar-a-Lago in Palm Beach, Florida, triggered a U.S. F-16 interception Saturday, the North American Aerospace Defense Command (NORAD) said.
President Donald Trump was in West Palm Beach that day and voted early there later in the afternoon ahead of the 2026 midterm elections, The Associated Press reported. A Federal Aviation Administration temporary flight restriction covered the area.
NORAD said the interception occurred around 12:20 p.m. ET. The fighter pilot moved ahead of the civilian aircraft to attract its pilot's attention, using a standard procedure the command calls a “headbutt maneuver.”
The civilian pilot then made contact with the fighter jet, followed flight instructions and left the restricted area safely, NORAD said. The command said federal authorities could meet the pilot after landing and pursue enforcement action over the airspace violation.
