Passenger plane taking off got too close to Trump’s Marine One helicopter, NTSB and FAA to investigate

 

A commercial jet took off from Reagan National Airport on Tuesday while Marine One flew nearby with President Trump on board.

Dave Statter

Investigations are underway into how a commercial jet full of passengers got too close to the military helicopter carrying President Donald Trump, the Federal Aviation Administration and National Transportation Safety Board said Wednesday.

The Marine One helicopter took off from the Ellipse just south of the White House on Tuesday afternoon, but air traffic at nearby Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport continued for a couple of minutes afterward, according to a CNN review of air-traffic control audio captured by ATC.com.

Marine One with US President Donald Trump on board departs from the Ellipse near the White House in Washington, DC, on August 4, 2026.

Alex Wroblewski/AFP/Getty Images

Planes are typically halted at the airport, located about three miles from the White House, when the president lifts off.

“Based on our preliminary safety review, there was momentary loss of separation after which the aircraft continued to move away from one another,” the FAA said in a statement. “We are continuing to review the incident and will implement any appropriate corrective actions based on our findings.”