A video purportedly showing US President Donald Trump's helicopter, Marine One, flying in close proximity to a commercial passenger aircraft over Washington, DC, has gone viral on social media, drawing attention to the incident.
Despite the footage, the White House said the president was never in danger.
According to The New York Times, Marine One came within less than a mile of a commercial flight while approaching Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport on Tuesday afternoon. The report cited two people familiar with the matter.
The Wall Street Journal, quoting sources familiar with the incident, reported that Marine One departed from the White House while commercial air traffic at the airport was still operating, even though standard security procedures generally require flights to be temporarily halted during presidential helicopter movements.
Tuesday 'safety incident' with Marine One flight carrying Trump under investigation
— RT Intl (@RT_on_X) August 5, 2026
Air traffic at nearby Reagan National Airport wasn’t stopped despite chopper take-off
'At NO point was the President in harm’s way' — White House pic.twitter.com/HZRd4j9GcL
The incident has since been widely shared online. One video circulating on social media appears to show a passenger aircraft crossing the Washington airspace shortly before Marine One entered the same corridor, prompting discussions about the aircraft's proximity.
The White House has maintained that the president's safety was never compromised.
