Air traffic controllers at National Airport continued allowing commercial flights while President Donald Trump departed from a temporary location at the Ellipse during early August. This came to light through investigator findings.
The incident occurred due to the President’s Marine One helicopter taking off from an alternative site because of ongoing White House construction. This created communication challenges and raised safety concerns at Reagan National Airport, as highlighted in a preliminary report published on Thursday.
The event underscores the complexities of coordinating air traffic in the presence of high-profile movements within a constrained area like Washington D.C.