F-16 Fighter Intercepts Aircraft Over Restricted Airspace of Camp David and Trump at the Resort

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On Saturday morning, a North American Aerospace Defense Command (NORAD) F-16 fighter jet intercepted a general aviation aircraft that was flying over restricted airspace near the Camp David resort in Maryland, prompting a security alert coinciding with the presence of U.S. President Donald Trump at the resort for the weekend.

Trump arrived at the presidential retreat located in the Catoctin Mountains of Maryland on Friday evening and is scheduled to remain there until the end of the weekend, according to the New York Post.

The First Air Force of the U.S. Northern Command announced the airspace violation via the platform X.

In a post, they stated: “Pilots! NORAD fighter jets intercepted an aircraft that violated restricted airspace over Thurmont, Maryland, resulting in the deployment of warning flares.”

The airspace above the presidential resort is subject to a permanent no-fly zone, while temporary and expanded restrictions on air traffic are imposed when the U.S. president is present at Camp David.

The Air Force urged pilots to ensure they review the flight notifications "NOTAMs" before takeoff, to confirm the latest information regarding temporary flight restrictions in their areas.

NORAD confirmed that the pilot was safely diverted from the area, explaining that the fighter jets used flares during the interception that occurred around 7:50 AM local time.

The command stated that these flares "may be visible to the public," clarifying that they were used to attract the attention of the aircraft's pilot or to communicate with him.

It added that the flares are used "with the utmost safety considerations," burning quickly and completely, and do not pose a danger to people on the ground.