Presidential Jet Flew as Low as 400 Feet Over Washington, Alarming Residents and Disrupting Flights: 'A Reckless Vanity Stunt

The Qatar-gifted Boeing 747 that flies as Air Force One dropped as low as 400 feet over Washington during a White House Halloween party, according to flight-tracking data cited by a senator. The passes prompted 911 calls from alarmed residents and a ground stop at Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport (DCA).

Sen. Tammy Duckworth, the top Democrat on the Senate aviation subcommittee, wants a full accounting by 20 November. 'Donald Trump's dangerously low Halloween flyover was a reckless vanity stunt,' she posted on X on Monday, 2 November, releasing a letter to FAA Administrator Bryan Bedford, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, and budget director Russell Vought.

Two Low Passes Over the White House

The jet made two passes at around 5:45 p.m. on Thursday, 29 October, as President Donald Trump and first lady Melania Trump handed out sweets to costumed children on the South Lawn. With Trump on the ground, it was not technically flying as Air Force One, a call sign reserved for when the president is aboard.

Her letter puts the aircraft between roughly 400 and 1,000 feet, with videos showing it near or below the top of the 555-foot Washington Monument. The White House's Rapid Response 47 account shared the footage, hailing 'An epic Air Force One flyover at the White House for the trick-or-treaters!'

Residents Dialled 911

The Council of the District of Columbia said downtown Washington, the Pentagon, and the airport were given just 15 minutes' notice. The city's AlertDC system did not send a public warning until 5:24 p.m. 'It startled many, including us,' the council posted.

Emergency dispatch audio, first shared by journalist Andrew Leyden, shows D.C. Fire units were sent out after at least one 911 call, before a dispatcher noted that Air Force One was on manoeuvres. Duckworth wrote, 'Residents who lived through September 11, 2001, when a hijacked airliner struck the Pentagon, dialed 911 fearing an attack.'

Flights Held at Reagan National

The FAA said the flyover was coordinated with it and required a brief ground stop at DCA, but has not said how long the stop lasted or when it learned of the flight. FlightAware recorded 202 delayed flights at the airport that day, most tied to the halt. Duckworth said airlines reportedly had less than an hour's notice.

Some inbound passengers reported circling over the region. On air traffic control audio, one pilot asked, 'How many more fly-bys is he doing?'

What Duckworth Wants Answered

The letter says the jet flew below the minimum the FAA sets for civil aircraft over congested areas, which is 1,000 feet above the highest obstacle within 2,000 feet. Hegseth is asked who requested the mission, whether it was logged as a training sortie, and what it cost in fuel, aircrew, and maintenance.

Bedford is asked what altitude the FAA authorised, and Vought which accounts paid for the flight. Duckworth also wants to know who decided on 15 minutes' notice, whether post-2009 notification procedures were followed, and whether officials will guarantee 48 hours' public notice in future.

That appears to refer to April 2009, when a presidential 747 flew low over lower Manhattan for an unannounced photo shoot, prompting evacuations. The official who approved it, White House Military Office director Louis Caldera, resigned within two weeks.

White House spokesperson Allison Schuster said the FAA 'followed all necessary protocols' and that the display 'brought joy and excitement. Once again, the left-wing media is trying to make a story out of nothing,' she said. A Defense Department official told The Hill the department would respond directly to Duckworth.

Collision Safety Fixes Still Outstanding

Duckworth also tied the flyover to the 29 January 2025 midair collision over the Potomac, when an Army Black Hawk struck American Eagle Flight 5342, operated by PSA Airlines, as it approached DCA, killing all 67 people aboard.

She said the FAA has closed only three of the 35 National Transportation Safety Board recommendations made to it, 11 aimed at the Pentagon remain open, and more than 600 days later the FAA and the Pentagon still have no memorandum of understanding on Washington-area airspace.

The jet at the centre of the row, valued at about $400 million (£298 million), was accepted from Qatar in May 2025 and first carried Trump on 1 July 2026 after a taxpayer-funded retrofit.