Fighter jets had to be scrambled three times as planes came too close to President Donald Trump’s golf course in Bedminster, New Jersey, over the weekend.
More than 10 planes entered temporarily restricted airspace over Bedminster and East Rutherford, where the World Cup Final was being held, on Sunday, according to a statement from the North American Aerospace Defense Command.
NORAD F-16 jets had to intercept three of the planes. During two of the intercepts, the jets released flares, which NORAD noted may have been seen by people on the ground.
“The flares were used to draw the pilots’ attention,” NORAD said. “Flares are employed with the highest regard for safety, burn out quickly and completely, and pose no danger to people on the ground.”
All of the planes that entered the restricted airspace were safely escorted out of the area, NORAD said.
NORAD didn’t specifically mention why the airspace was restricted, but it’s not an unusual measure given how many famous figures attended the high-profile World Cup showcase. The Independent has reached out to NORAD for comment.
There were world leaders from the host countries, including Trump, and multiple celebrities at the World Cup Final on Sunday.
Mexico’s President Claudia Sheinbaum and Canada’s Prime Minister Mark Carney were in attendance. Trump confronted Carney at the event over smoke from Canadian wildfires that has been lowering the air quality in the U.S., telling him, “Our air’s being poisoned.”
The World Cup Final’s halftime show featured performances from Madonna, the Korean boy band BTS, Justin Bieber and Shakira.
Several celebrities were also spotted in the stands of the New Jersey stadium, including one of music’s biggest couples, Beyoncé and Jay-Z, actor Matt Damon and his wife Luciana Barroso and retired NFL star Tom Brady.
Before Spain beat Argentina 1-0 in Sunday’s match, Hollywood star Tom Cruise gave a speech during the World Cup’s closing ceremony, telling viewers, “As we gather for one final chapter, let us celebrate a tournament that brought the world together.”
In March, NORAD announced that an F-16 intercepted a plane over Palm Beach, Florida, near Trump’s Mar-a-Lago estate. NORAD said the plane violated a temporary flight restriction and that it was safely escorted out of the area.
The Independent’s Andrew Feinberg said at the time, citing pool reporters, that Trump was at his West Palm Beach golf club when the plane flew into the restricted airspace.
