What Happened
Safety Procedures Questioned After Presidential Helicopter Takes Off
The US Federal Aviation Administration is investigating an air-traffic safety incident involving President Donald Trump’s Marine One helicopter near Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport. According to The Wall Street Journal, air traffic controllers had not yet halted commercial departures at Reagan National as required under safety procedures for presidential helicopter operations. Despite the apparent procedural lapse, the FAA said the presidential helicopter and a commercial jet departing the airport did not come dangerously close and were not on converging flight paths. The incident is under review, and the FAA has imposed stricter limits on helicopter and airplane operations around Reagan National since a midair collision in 2025. This incident was first reported by The Wall Street Journal.