Marine One: Helicopter carrying Trump flew close to passenger jet, FAA plans probe

The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) is investigating why a passenger jet took off from Reagan Washington National Airport while President Donald Trump's helicopter, Marine One, was approaching on Tuesday afternoon, according to Reuters. This incident, which occurred just weeks after a deadly midair collision near the airport in January 2025, has raised concerns about safety protocols.

The jet involved was Envoy Air Flight 3742, an American Airlines regional jet headed to Pensacola, Florida, which departed a minute after Marine One. Another flight, Republic 4700, was rerouted as a precaution after coming within three miles of the airport. While the two aircraft were never on a collision course, as the jet was climbing above Marine One, the FAA has noted a momentary loss of separation.

FAA rules require aircraft near airports to maintain a minimum of 1.5 miles horizontally and 500 feet vertically apart. Both aircraft landed safely. The White House and Marine Corps have both defended the pilots' actions, stating that no harm came to the President. However, sources told Reuters that controllers failed to halt commercial flights as required by the new rules.

The National Transportation Safety Board will also investigate, alongside a separate FAA safety review.