"Thought It Was a Terrorist Attack": Fear at Trump's Halloween Party as Air Force One Makes a Low Flyover

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During a Halloween event hosted by U.S. President Donald Trump and First Lady Melania Trump at the White House, the presidential aircraft, Air Force One, made a low-altitude flight over Washington, D.C., delaying 202 flights and startling residents.

Yonhap News reported on October 30 (local time), citing The New York Times (NYT) and other outlets, that Air Force One made two low-altitude passes over the White House at around 5:45 p.m. the previous day, during a Halloween event for children held on the White House grounds as the Halloween weekend began.

A private jet flies overhead as U.S. President Donald Trump and First Lady Melania attend a Halloween event on the South Lawn of the White House in Washington on the 29th (local time). AP-Yonhap News.

According to the report, President Trump and First Lady Melania were handing out candy to children at the time and waved as the aircraft passed overhead. The White House later shared footage of the scene on social media, describing it as “a fantastic Air Force One flyover for the kids.”

However, the lack of sufficient advance notice sparked anxiety and concern among Washington, D.C., residents and officials.

The Washington, D.C., Council said on X (formerly Twitter), “The city was notified only 15 minutes before the flyover that it would take place over downtown Washington, the Pentagon, Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport and other locations,” adding that “many people, including city council staff, were startled by the sudden flyover.”

Airline officials also said they were notified less than an hour before the flight. The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) temporarily halted aircraft operations at Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport, about 4 miles (approximately 6.4 km) in a straight line from the White House, for safety during the presidential aircraft’s flight. As a result, 202 arrivals and departures were delayed.

The Washington Post (WP), citing aircraft tracking data, reported that the plane was at an altitude of just 122 to 305 meters while flying over Washington, D.C.

Aircraft flying over Washington, D.C., are normally subject to strict controls. This flight took place without sufficient warning, and residents who did not know the low-altitude flyover was part of a White House event were left frightened. The New York Times reported that some people, seeing an unidentified aircraft roaring low over the White House, where flights are generally prohibited, were reminded of the September 11, 2001, terrorist attacks.

In fact, posts from startled social media users continued to appear. One resident wrote, “Like everyone else on the street, I thought my heart was going to stop.” A former U.S. diplomat said, “Seeing a plane flying so low, I thought it was a terrorist attack or a crash,” calling it “a prank that was not amusing at all.”

President Trump is reportedly fond of watching the presidential aircraft make low-altitude flyovers at major events he attends.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.