Federal aviation officials are investigating an air-safety incident involving President Trump’s Marine One helicopter in Washington, D.C.
Why it matters: The incident comes as regulators work to improve safety in increasingly congested U.S. airspace, particularly around D.C.
Zoom in: The Wall Street Journal first reported that the helicopter was carrying Trump on Tuesday when it flew too close to a commercial airliner departing from Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport.
- NTSB confirmed in a statement to Axios that it is “investigating a reported loss of separation event” between the two aircraft.
- The Federal Aviation Administration said in a media statement Wednesday, “Based on our preliminary safety review, there was momentary loss of separation after which the aircraft continued to move away from one another.”
Context: The FAA placed permanent restrictions and banned mixed helicopter and jet traffic around the airport following a fatal midair collision in January 2025.
- Representatives for the FAA and the White House did not immediately respond to Axios’ Wednesday evening request for comment.
Editor’s note: This is a breaking news story. Please check back for updates.
