The Federal Aviation Administration is investigating an incident in which Marine One, carrying President Donald Trump, briefly came too close to a commercial airliner Tuesday evening as the presidential helicopter approached the same Washington-area airport where a deadly midair collision occurred in 2025.

According to the FAA, a preliminary review found there was a “momentary loss of separation” between Marine One and a commercial aircraft. Under FAA regulations, aircraft are generally required to maintain at least 1.5 miles of horizontal separation and 500 feet of vertical separation.

The agency said air traffic control was in contact with both aircraft throughout the incident and emphasized that President Trump “never in danger.” Officials added that the circumstances surrounding the close encounter remain under investigation.

The Wall Street Journal first reported the incident, noting that flight operations at Reagan Washington National Airport were not suspended following the brief loss of separation.

Marine One departed from the White House on Tuesday afternoon en route to Joint Base Andrews at roughly the same time a regional commercial flight bound for Pensacola, Florida, was departing Reagan National Airport, Reuters reported.

The incident has drawn added attention because it occurred near Reagan National Airport, where an Army Black Hawk helicopter collided with an American Airlines regional jet over the Potomac River in 2025, killing all 67 people aboard. The tragedy was the deadliest aviation disaster in the United States since November 2001.

That fatal crash followed several other close calls in the Washington airspace and prompted the FAA to tighten restrictions on helicopter traffic near the airport. Reuters also reported that air traffic controllers are typically given about three minutes’ notice before Marine One departs from the White House area so they can temporarily halt nearby air traffic.

The latest incident comes as questions continue to surround the president’s aircraft fleet. Last month, the Boeing VIP jet gifted by Qatar officially entered service as the new Air Force One, with President Trump using it to travel to a NATO summit in Ankara.

However, after hostilities between the United States and Iran resumed, the president switched back to the older Air Force One during his departure from Turkey, flying instead to RAF Mildenhall, a U.S. Air Force base in Suffolk, England.

President Trump said the change was made so American service members stationed at the base could “a chance to tour the Aircraft,” although reports indicated the Secret Service requested the aircraft swap. The move fueled questions about the newer plane’s defensive systems and whether they match the capabilities of the long-serving presidential aircraft.

Although President Trump initially dismissed concerns, he later acknowledged that the Qatar-donated aircraft would undergo another round of upgrades to ensure its security features are “maxed out.” He did not provide details about the planned enhancements, and it remains unclear whether the projected one-month upgrade period will be sufficient to bring the aircraft’s defensive systems in line with those of the previous Air Force One.

{Matzav.com}