The Federal Aviation Administration is investigating an air-traffic safety incident involving Marine One, the helicopter carrying President Trump. The incident occurred after the helicopter came closer than permitted to another aircraft over Washington DC.
Air traffic controllers are believed to have mistakenly failed to halt commercial flights at Ronald Reagan National Airport in northern Virginia on Tuesday afternoon. The president's helicopter took off from the White House while commercial traffic continued to fly at the airport.
When the helicopter that transports President Trump crosses the Potomac, Reagan National Airport is required to impose a ground stop on air traffic. In this instance, the failure to stop flights allegedly led to a loss of separation with a departing passenger jet.
The White House emphasized that President Trump was not in danger during the incident.