Fighter jets intercept planes over Bedminster, East Rutherford airspace

Administration Fighter jets intercept planes over Bedminster, East Rutherford airspace Comments: by Ashleigh Fields - 07/20/26 10:35 AM ET Comments: Link copied by Ashleigh Fields - 07/20/26 10:35 AM ET Comments: Link copied

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Fighter jets intercepted multiple planes attempting to fly in temporarily restricted airspace on Sunday over Bedminster and East Rutherford, N.J.

“More than 10 general aviation aircraft have entered restricted airspace today, three of which required intercepts by NORAD aircraft,” the North American Aerospace Defense Command (NORAD) wrote in a statement.

NORAD said flares were deployed to get the attention of two pilots.

Flares “burn out quickly and completely, and pose no danger to people on the ground,” according to NORAD’s statement.

The interceptions occurred while international leaders and celebrities gathered in East Rutherford for the World Cup Final at MetLife Stadium.

President Trump, Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum and Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney were in attendance.

The three briefly walked onto the field together and spoke about global matters on the sidelines of the match. Spain won the game against Argentina by a score of 1-0.

The Federal Aviation Administration and NORAD did not provide a direct explanation for the flight restriction for airspace in New Jersey. However, the ordinance is traditionally implemented in response to large events with the presence of sitting leaders.

In March, fighter jets intercepted an aircraft near Trump’s Mar-a-Lago resort in Florida.

“Know the airspace. Fly responsibly. Airspace awareness is a shared responsibility,” NORAD wrote in a Friday statement on X, urging pilots to check for temporary flight restrictions before lift off.