F-16s intercept two planes in restricted airspace near Trump's Bedminster club

U.S. Air Force F-16 fighter jets intercepted two civilian aircraft that entered restricted airspace over Bedminster, New Jersey, on Sunday, August 9, 2026, as President Donald Trump attended a golf tournament at his local club. The North American Aerospace Defense Command, or NORAD, confirmed the intercepts, stating that both general aviation planes were safely escorted out of the temporary flight restriction area without incident.

The violations occurred while Trump was at the Trump National Golf Club Bedminster for the final round of the LIV Golf New York tournament, which ran from August 6 through August 9. The president had traveled to Bedminster on Friday and was scheduled to return to Washington on Sunday evening. Temporary flight restrictions are routinely imposed around locations visited by the president, and pilots are required to review Federal Aviation Administration notices before takeoff.

NORAD did not provide a reason for the incursion or state whether the pilots had made a mistake. The command deferred to the FAA to determine the cause. Officials have not said what prompted the two pilots to enter the restricted zone or whether the violations were deliberate. The...