President Donald Trump’s trip to New Jersey was temporarily halted over the weekend when a fleet of fighter jets was dispatched to intercept seven “rogue” aircraft flying near his Bedminster golf property.
At roughly 2:50 p.m., six unidentifiable aircraft breached a temporary no-fly zone above Trump’s New Jersey property. The inexperienced pilots were escorted out of the airspace by military jets from the North American Aerospace Defense Command, the agency said.
Flares were used to notify pilots that they violated federal airspace, and they “are employed with the highest regard for the safety of the intercepted aircraft and people on the ground,” NORAD assured, stating that the flares burn out in mid-air to avoid igniting a fire when they land.
The Sunday invasion was a repeat of three airspace violations on Saturday, bringing the total number of incidents above Trump’s Bedminster golf course to seven this weekend.
Pilots flying through the area are now being warned about Trump’s frequent presence in New Jersey as a result of the back-to-back mistakes. NORAD stated in its notice that civilian pilots should plan their routes more carefully and allow for extra flying time if they need to fly past the president’s mansion.
Fortunately, none of the infractions seemed to be intentional, the New York Post noted.
“General aviation pilots are reminded to verify all Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) Notice to Airmen and fly informed before every flight,” NORAD wrote on Sunday.
NORAD went on to say that pilots should be more cautious when it comes to temporary flight zone limits, such as those above Bedminster, while President Trump is in town.
“All pilots must familiarize themselves with updates to restricted airspace, including reviewing new and existing FAA NOTAMs that impact their flight plans and activities. Adhering to FAA-restricted airspace protocols is mandatory, regardless of geographic region, airframe, or aircrew,” the statement said.
Despite the scare to aviation authorities, Trump appeared unaffected and in good spirits as he returned to the White House Sunday night.
This comes as Trump’s campaign and allied political committees have already met his ambitious $1.4 billion fundraising goal — more than a year ahead of schedule — setting the stage for what insiders say will be record-breaking spending in the 2026 midterm elections.
Trump set the goal shortly after securing a second term, vowing to use his political operation to protect House and Senate Republicans and ensure one-party control of Congress throughout his presidency, The New York Post reported.
The $1.4 billion target was first revealed in May, when Trump’s team disclosed a $600 million haul — already a historic figure. On Friday, they announced the goal had been met in full through a combination of cash on hand and pledged donations, funneled through the Republican National Committee and his super PAC, Make America Great Again, Inc.
“You know, in presidential races, they say when you win the presidency, usually the midterms don’t go well?” Trump said earlier this year, referencing the GOP’s 2018 House losses. “I think we’re going to do great.”
Despite historical trends working against him — the party in power has lost House seats in nearly every midterm since 1938 — Trump, 79, has promised to defy expectations.
“I think we’re going to really increase our margins by a lot,” he told Republican governors at a February retreat. “So we’ve got that money, and I got to spend it somewhere … if I can’t spend it on me, I guess that means I’m going to be spending it on some of my friends, right? A lot of my friends.”
Republicans currently hold a narrow 219-212 majority in the House. In Texas, redistricting is expected to add as many as five new GOP-leaning seats — all in districts Trump won by 10 points or more in 2024.
The shake-up is expected to leave at least one far-left House Democrat, a member of the so-called “Squad,” without a base of progressive voters to fall back on.