A military helicopter carrying President Donald Trump came within less than a mile of a passenger jet over Washington on Tuesday after communication issues
between Marine One and air traffic controllers delayed the coordination of nearby air traffic, according to people familiar with the Federal Aviation Administration's preliminary assessment. The incident occurred shortly after 2:30 PM as Trump was traveling from the White House to Joint Base Andrews, the first leg of a planned trip to Los Angeles. According to audio recordings, the crew of Marine One made three attempts before takeoff to notify controllers at Ronald Reagan National Airport that the helicopter would lift off in three minutes. The messages appeared not to have been heard, and the helicopter proceeded into the airspace. Federal officials' preliminary findings said Marine One came within 0.8 miles of lateral distance and 700 feet of vertical distance from an Envoy Air passenger jet. The FAA defines a loss of safe separation in similar situations as a breach of either 1.5 miles of lateral distance or 500 feet of vertical distance, though the standards can vary depending on the aircraft and airspace involved.
White House Says Trump Was Never In Danger
FAA spokesperson Cassandra Nolan said that, "based on our preliminary safety review," there had been a "momentary loss of separation." She added that the president "was never in danger," while confirming that the agency's review is continuing.
White House spokesperson Kush Desai also emphasized that Trump's safety was never at risk.
"Although the president was at no point in harm's way during yesterday's momentary loss of separation, the White House continues to work with relevant military, FAA, and other security personnel to ensure the president's continued safety," he said.
A Marine Corps spokesperson described the flight as "routine."
The incident comes as Washington's airspace remains under heightened scrutiny following the January 29, 2025, collision between an Army Black Hawk helicopter and an American Airlines passenger jet that killed all 67 people aboard both aircraft. A subsequent National Transportation Safety Board investigation found degraded radio reception had deprived the helicopter crew of critical information, while also concluding that the controller handling the flights was overburdened.
Since July, Trump has been flying from the Ellipse instead of the White House South Lawn because construction of a new helipad has temporarily changed Marine One's operating location. According to the report, the change has added complexity to one of the country's busiest and most tightly managed airspaces, where military aircraft, civilian helicopters and commercial passenger flights routinely operate together.
