FAA seeks permanent flight restrictions around Trump’s Mar-a-Lago amid security threats
WASHINGTON, DC: The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) is proposing permanent flight rules around President Donald J Trump International Airport in Palm Beach, Florida, to secure the airspace near Mar-a-Lago, President Trump’s private residence.
The FAA notes that the proposal was made “at the request of the Secret Service,” citing “adverse threat intelligence and the ongoing protective mission” of the agency.
According to the rule notice posted by the FAA, the Secret Service, which protects presidents and first ladies for life, said the proposed flight restrictions would “greatly increase the ability to mitigate the persistent risks posed by unauthorized aircraft and unmanned aircraft systems (UAS) operating in proximity to sensitive areas.”
Secretary of the Army Dan Driscoll, Secretary of War Pete Hegseth and President Donald Trump attend a dignified transfer at Dover Air Force Base for military casualties of the war with Iran on July 22, 2026 in Dover, Delaware (Kevin Dietsch/Getty Images)FAA proposes permanent flight restrictions near Mar-a-Lago
The FAA’s proposed rule seeks to establish a Special Flight Rules Area (SFRA) near Mar-a-Lago.
Under the proposed rules, aircraft flying below 2,000 feet and within one nautical mile of the designated zone would need explicit clearance, maintain two-way communication with air traffic control, and continuously broadcast an assigned transponder code.
Arriving and departing aircraft would also have to meet strict security requirements before entering the restricted airspace.
Commercial flights would still be permitted as long as they follow the established rules. Without that exception, the restrictions would effectively make Palm Beach International Airport’s primary runway unusable.
The FAA would also allow emergency, lifesaving, and law enforcement aircraft to enter the airspace, provided pilots maintain two-way radio contact with air traffic control and receive authorization.
The FAA has previously restricted aircraft operations near seven presidential and vice presidential residences.
The most recent restriction was established in 2001 near former President George W Bush’s ranch in Crawford, Texas. Those restrictions remain in place, although their boundaries were reduced in 2010.
Drone expert says FAA rules are 'not good enough'
The heightened security measures come after multiple threats against Trump, including an alleged June plot in which five suspects were accused of coordinating an ambush involving explosive-laden drones targeting the president and other high-profile officials during the UFC Freedom 250 event at the White House.
Most recently, the president was forced to secretly swap planes as he left a NATO summit in Turkey last month due to a possible threat.
However, drone experts argue that the new regulations proposed by the FAA aren’t “good enough.”
"When you look at what happened in Butler [Pennsylvania] it was discovered later on that the shooter had done very basic surveillance with a drone, a Chinese drone that you could buy off Amazon, before he conducted the attack against the president," Brett Velicovich, a former US Army special operations intelligence analyst and drone expert, told Fox News Digital.
Velicovich stressed that government agencies need to move faster in adopting active interdiction measures rather than relying solely on airspace restrictions.
"We're going to have to have more counter-drone systems in place because it is not good enough simply for the FAA to send a message saying this area is a no-drone zone," he added. "When you're a bad actor, that doesn't matter."
