Marine One Communication Glitches Spark Near-Miss Over Washington

On August 4, 2026, Marine One carrying President Donald Trump attempted to give the required three-minute take-off notice from the Ellipse, a park south of the White House. The pilots’ radio transmissions were not received; controllers asked other aircraft to relay the message. Because the tower did not receive the notice, an Embraer E-170 operated by an American Airlines subsidiary was allowed to depart Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport. The two aircraft passed each other less than a mile apart, with a lateral separation of 0.82 nautical mile (0.94 mile) and a vertical separation of 700 feet (213 m).

New York Magazine

In spring 2026, a 90,000-square-foot ballroom project began on the East Wing and South Lawn. To accommodate the work, the presidential helipad was moved from the South Lawn to the Ellipse. The NTSB found that the new take-off point reduced line-of-sight between the helicopter’s radio and the Reagan National tower, creating “communication issues” not present at the previous location.

The Guardian

• July 30, 2026 – Controllers met with Marine One staff about recent missed “three-minute to liftoff” calls.

Marine One loses communication with air traffic controllers again

• August 4, 2026 – Radio attempts failed; the near-miss occurred.

New York Magazine

• August 11, 2026 – Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy told CBS News a “fix” had been put in place.

New York Magazine

• Later August 2026 – Controllers again lost brief contact as the president headed to Texas; the loss was quickly restored.

The Guardian

• FAA required separation: at least 1.5 miles (2.4 km) horizontally and 500 feet (152 m) vertically.

The Guardian

• Actual separation at closest point: 0.82 nautical mile (0.94 mile or 1.5 km) laterally and 700 feet (213 m) vertically.

The Guardian

• This was the second documented loss of communication for Marine One within the month.

Marine One loses communication with air traffic controllers again

• The NTSB’s preliminary report attributes the loss to inadequate line-of-sight caused by the temporary Ellipse location.

The Guardian

• FAA administrator Bryan Bedford said the FAA relocated an antenna and introduced new procedures after the August 4 incident; subsequent checks showed no further issues.

New York Magazine

• Sean Duffy confirmed a technical fix had been implemented, citing interference from recent infrastructure.

New York Magazine

• A White House spokesperson declined to comment on the ballroom construction’s role.

New York Times

Officials argued that the relocation compromised the standard safety protocol requiring a three-minute notice before take-off.

The Guardian

• The White House did not address whether the ballroom’s proximity to the Ellipse contributed to the radio problem.

New York Times

• An AP report noted a subsequent brief loss of contact later in August, but provided no details on duration or corrective actions.

The Guardian

The NTSB has opened a full investigation, and the FAA continues to monitor the relocated antenna and revised procedures. Additional reviews of the construction site’s impact on aviation safety are expected as the ballroom project progresses.

The Guardian