Low Air Force One Flyover Rattles DC

Halloween in Washington came with an extra treat—or trick, depending on your point of view—this year. A military jet that uses the Air Force One call sign when President Trump is aboard made two low passes over the White House and National Mall on Thursday evening, reports the Washington Post, surprising many residents who got just minutes' notice. Video posted by the White House's Rapid Response 47 account shows Trump waving outside as the aircraft roars overhead, with the caption calling it an "epic Air Force One flyover" for trick-or-treaters. (The White House account also posted video here.)

Flight data put the plane between roughly 400 and 1,000 feet altitude, unusually low for DC's tightly controlled airspace. Not everybody was thrilled, notes WJLA: DC's city council noted on X that people had only about 15 minutes' warning, and that the flyover "startled many, including us." Some on social media described being frightened, recalling past air disasters. The FAA said the flyover was pre-coordinated and caused a brief ground stop at Reagan National, frustrating some pilots.