A sudden disruption at Palm Beach International Airport caused a temporary halt in flights on Sunday, just hours before Air Force One was expected to depart with President Donald Trump on board.
According to the New York Post, the ground stop triggered confusion early on, with initial reports pointing to a possible drone incursion near the airport.
A video that quickly spread online appeared to show a Delta pilot informing passengers about a potential security situation, adding to the uncertainty.
Officials later clarified that the situation was not related to a drone.
“A general aviation aircraft was briefly out of communication with the air traffic control tower at Palm Beach International Airport, but contact was ultimately established and the ground stop was lifted,” a White House official said.
“There was no drone incursion or concern regarding Air Force One, which is not slated to take off until this evening.”
At the time of the incident, Trump was at his nearby golf property, Trump International Golf Club, according to officials.
The United States Secret Service emphasized that the situation never posed a danger.
“At no point was there any risk to AF1 or the President’s safety,” the agency said.
The viral video from the Delta pilot added another layer of confusion. In the clip, the pilot claimed “they had to scramble some helicopters to go and investigate” the situation.
However, a Secret Service spokesperson suggested that the helicopter referenced may not have been connected to the incident at all.
“While airspace violations are relatively common, particularly outside of Washington, D.C., that helicopter referenced in the tweet was actually authorized for that specific area and was not related to a drone or Temporary Flight Restriction, TFR, violation,” the spokesperson explained.
The Federal Aviation Administration also weighed in, but provided limited detail about what caused the disruption.
“Operations are normal after the FAA slowed traffic at Palm Beach International Airport due to volume,” the agency said, declining to elaborate further.
Flights eventually resumed without further incident, and the brief shutdown was lifted once communication with the aircraft was restored.
Despite the initial alarm, officials maintained that the situation was quickly resolved and never escalated into a broader security threat.
