Fighter jet executes 'headbutt' maneuver as 11 planes breach restricted airspace above Trump's NJ retreat over weekend

A total of 11 aircraft violated the restricted airspace over New Jersey during President Donald Trump's July Fourth weekend visit, prompting a fighter jet to be scrambled, according to authorities.

The First Air Force — also known as Air Forces Northern, which is headquartered at Tyndall Air Force Base in Florida — announced in a statement that 11 civilian aircraft breached the temporary flight restriction airspace over Bedminster, New Jersey, where President Trump was spending the holiday weekend.

'No excuses! Stay sharp, stay legal, and stay out of restricted airspace.'

"This morning’s intercept, followed by two later [temporary flight restriction] violations, brings the total to 11 unauthorized incursions into restricted airspace this weekend," the First Air Force stated on Sunday.

North American Aerospace Defense Command scrambled a fighter jet to intercept unauthorized aircraft violating the temporary flight restriction in the airspace over the Trump National Golf Club in Bedminster, approximately 40 miles west of New York City.

Around 2:40 p.m. on Saturday, a fighter jet intercepted a civilian aircraft and executed a "headbutt" maneuver before safely escorting the plane out of the restricted airspace, Fox News reported.

The headbutt maneuver is an aerial interception technique used by military planes to visually alert and redirect an unauthorized aircraft that has violated restricted airspace. The military airplane will fly in close proximity to the unauthorized aircraft before cutting in front of the nose of the civilian aircraft, according to Newsweek.

An F-16 jet carried out a headbutt maneuver on a "general aviation aircraft" near the airspace around Trump's Mar-a-Lago resort on April 4, Newsweek reported.

As Blaze News reported in March, F-16 fighter jets intercepted two unauthorized aircraft that had breached a temporary flight restriction in Florida when President Trump was at Mar-a-Lago in West Palm Beach.

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James Gagnon — a former NORAD Operations Division Operations Standards Branch chief — revealed the procedure for when an aircraft violates the temporary flight restriction.

"When an aircraft enters a TFR that is not in contact with air traffic control and fighters are available, we'll have the fighter aircraft escort them out of the TFR," Gagnon explained.

"It's these people who are not on a flight plan or are flying VFR (Visual Flight Rules)," Gagnon continued. "They're not talking to anybody, and FAA doesn't know who they are. It's much easier when you're talking to the guy."

NORAD noted that if the pilot of the unauthorized aircraft does not respond, the military plane will employ "more aggressive tactics such as dropping flares and performing 'headbutt' maneuvers, the rough equivalent of giving someone a shove and saying, 'Hey, you!'"

A NORAD spokesperson told Reuters that the fighter jet involved in the intercept was an F-16.

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Photo by Drew Angerer/Getty Images

The First Air Force cautioned pilots: "These TFRs are in place for a reason. No excuses! Stay sharp, stay legal, and stay out of restricted airspace."

NORAD warned pilots, "It is critically important for North American flight safety that temporary flight restriction (TFR) violations are avoided. All pilots must familiarize themselves with updates to restricted airspace, including reviewing new and existing FAA [Notice to Airmen] that impact their flight plans and activities. Adhering to FAA restricted airspace protocols is mandatory, regardless of geographical region, airframe, or aircrew."

Gen. Gregory M. Guillot, the commander of NORAD, stated on Sunday, "NORAD and the FAA aim to keep the skies over America safe, with close attention paid to areas with temporary flight restrictions (TFR) to ensure flight safety, national security, and the security of the president."

Guillot stressed, "TFR procedures are mandatory, and the excessive number of TFR violations this weekend indicates some civil aviators are not reading Notice to Airmen, or NOTAMs, before each flight as required by the FAA."

Guillot warned that any unauthorized aircraft in temporary flight restriction airspace will be intercepted by an armed fighter aircraft from NORAD.

According to the Federal Aviation Administration, pilots who violate TFRs can face fines and certificate suspensions or revocations, depending on the severity of the violation.

NORAD is a joint organization between the United States and Canada that is tasked with "the missions of aerospace warning and aerospace control for North America," and includes "monitoring of man-made objects in space and the detection, validation, and warning of attack against North America whether by aircraft, missiles, or space vehicles, through mutual support arrangements with other commands."

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