US probes Trump’s Marine One helicopter for unsafe proximity to commercial jet

US aviation authorities have opened an investigation into whether a military helicopter carrying former President Donald Trump came too close to a civilian passenger aircraft above Washington, DC, on Tuesday, August 4. The White House confirmed on Wednesday that the president was never in danger.

Incident details and official response

According to a report published by The New York Times and attributed to two individuals familiar with the matter, the presidential helicopter “Marine One” approached within less than one mile of a commercial airliner departing from Washington’s airport. The incident occurred after ambiguous or unclear communications between air traffic controllers and the flight crews involved.

The US National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) stated it is “investigating a reported incident involving a loss of safe separation between Marine One and a commercial aircraft departing Washington Airport on August 4.”

Kush Desai, a White House spokesperson, told Agence France-Presse: “Marine One flights are piloted by some of the world’s best aviators, and the president was in no danger whatsoever.”

Federal Aviation Administration statement

The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) confirmed that air traffic controllers maintained contact with both the commercial pilot and the Marine One pilot during the period when safe separation was lost.

“The president was never in danger,” the FAA added. “We continue to review the incident and will take any appropriate corrective actions based on our findings.”

Safety standards and prior context

As reported by The Wall Street Journal, federal safety protocols require a minimum horizontal separation of 1.5 miles and a vertical separation of at least 500 feet under such circumstances.

The FAA had previously tightened safety measures around Washington Airport following a fatal mid-air collision in January 2025 between a commercial passenger aircraft and a Black Hawk military helicopter, which killed 67 people.