Fifteen civilian planes violated a temporary flight restriction that was in place on Sunday during President Trump’s nine-hour trip to Illinois, with flares being deployed at two planes who did not initially respond to F-16 military jets flying alongside their wings.
The North American Aerospace Defense Command, or NORAD, told the Chicago Sun-Times the violations marked a “highly anomalous and significant spike for a single weekend.”
Trump landed at O’Hare Airport at 9:40 a.m. to attend the Presidents Cup golf tournament in northwest suburban Medinah. Air Force One was wheeled up at O’Hare at 6:40 p.m. During that time, NORAD put in place a VIP temporary flight restriction over the Chicago area.
NORAD says 15 general aviation aircraft violated the temporary flight restriction. NORAD fighter aircraft, including F-16s, were deployed as a “standard precautionary measure to ensure airspace security and establish visual contact with the unresponsive aircraft,” NORAD said in a statement.
In 10 of those instances, fighter aircraft performed tactical intercepts to get the attention of the pilots. During two of those intercepts, flares were dispensed which may have been visible to the public. Those flares were used to ensure pilots saw the NORAD aircraft and to communicate with the pilots, the agency said.
“All 15 situations were safely resolved with the aircraft escorted out of the restricted airspace,” NORAD said.
Still, the military organization that is jointly operated by the United States and Canada, says the number of violations was unusual and that several factors may have contributed to that spike. NORAD said there has been a national average of between 40 and 50 restricted air space violations per month since early 2026, resulting in upwards of nine intercepts and five instances where flares were used.
“This localized surge was likely driven by a combination of factors, including the infrequency of NORAD-enforced restrictions in the Chicago airspace, pilots operating on routinely familiar but temporarily restricted flight paths, and a critical gap in pre-flight planning regarding active FAA Notices to Air Missions (NOTAMs),” Major Jennie Derenzis of NORAD’s media division said in an email. “Additionally, a shift in the TFR’s active schedule may have also caught multiple aviators off guard, highlighting the critical importance of rigorous pre-flight planning and real-time monitoring of active FAA Notices to Air Missions (NOTAMs).”
Trump’s public schedule, released on Saturday, did not list a time of departure from the Chicago area. But according to pool reports, there was an original expectation of being back in Washington after 5 p.m. Eastern time. Trump instead landed at Joint Base Andrews at 9:10 p.m
During flight restrictions, pilots are expected to pay attention to NOTAM (Notice to Air Missions), which are filed with aviation authorities to notify pilots about airspace restrictions and hazards. During an interception, two fighters approach the plane, with pilots usually only seeing one, according to NORAD. The intent is to identify the plane and try to figure out why it’s in restricted space and encourage them to communicate with air traffic controllers. The fighter jets can also help escort the plane out of the airspace. If that doesn’t work, flares are deployed to get the attention of the pilot.
The Federal Aviation Administration on Monday said it investigates all flight restriction violations and takes “appropriate action.” The agency said it does not discuss open investigations and referred questions to the U.S. Northern Command and the U.S. Secret Service. The agency said sanctions range from warnings to license suspensions or revocations, based on the circumstances of the violation.
Sunday marked Trump’s first visit to Illinois during his second presidency. He last came to Chicago in July 2024 during a combative interview at the National Association of Black Journalists conference, where he questioned the racial identity of Vice President Kamala Harris and lambasted a moderator’s question about derogatory statements he has made toward the Black community.
