By SAM SWEENEY, JACK DATE, and MARK OSBORNE, ABC News
(BEDMINSTER, N.J.) — Jets from the North American Aerospace Defense Command, or NORAD, had to be scrambled to intercept a small plane near the Trump National Golf Club in Bedminster, New Jersey, on Saturday afternoon.
The U.S. fighter jets intercepted the single engine RV-7 aircraft after the plane entered restricted air space near President Donald Trump’s Bedminster golf club. According to NORAD, the jets fired flares and escorted the plane to a nearby airport.
The plane was not responding to communication, according to authorities.
“This afternoon, a small aircraft violated the restricted airspace near Trump National Golf Club, Bedminster, NJ,” the U.S. Secret Service said in a statement. “The pilot of the small aircraft did not respond to radio communications and U.S. military aircraft were launched. Communications were subsequently established with the pilot and the aircraft landed as directed.”
The Secret Service added, “The President was not in danger and the security of the complex was maintained throughout. Further investigation of the airspace violation is pending.”
The president is spending a second straight weekend at his golf club. On Friday evening, he delivered a speech to a large group of police officers from the New York City Police Benevolent Association at the country club.
Trump is expected to deliver a press conference at Bedminster on Saturday afternoon. Last weekend he used the site to deliver remarks and sign four executive actions targeted at helping recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic.
ABC News’ Luis Martinez contributed to this report.
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