FAA says Trump’s Marine One briefly flew too close to passenger jet

The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) and the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) have launched investigations into a near-miss incident involving President Donald Trump's Marine One helicopter and a passenger jet departing from Reagan National Airport. The incident, which occurred Tuesday afternoon, involved a "momentary loss of separation" between the two aircraft, according to an FAA statement.

Sources familiar with the matter revealed to Reuters that air traffic controllers at Reagan National allegedly failed to pause commercial departures as required by policy. This protocol was established following a fatal collision in January 2025, where a military helicopter and an American Airlines regional jet crashed, killing 67 people. Marine One was en route to Joint Base Andrews at the time of the incident.

The FAA confirmed that the President was not in danger and that an air traffic controller maintained contact with both pilots. While both aircraft landed safely, the specific flights involved have not been officially confirmed by the FAA. However, a source indicated that Envoy Air flight 3742, operated for American Airlines, was the passenger jet in question, and a second flight was rerouted as a precaution.

This near-miss has reignited concerns about air traffic control procedures at Reagan National, particularly regarding the integration of helicopter and commercial traffic. Following the 2025 crash, permanent restrictions were placed on mixed traffic, and a ban was introduced on using visual-only separation for helicopters near major U.S. airports, highlighting the sensitivity surrounding safety protocols at the facility.

“

a momentary loss of separation, after which the aircraft continued to move away from one another