Sen. Tammy Duckworth (D-Ill.) has demanded answers from top federal officials after President Trump's low-flying Air Force One passes over Washington, D.C., on Halloween sparked panic and disrupted air travel. In a letter sent Monday, the senator pressed FAA Administrator Bryan Bedford, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, and OMB Director Russell Vought to explain the approval process and the costs of the stunt.
The flyover occurred last Thursday during a White House Halloween event, with Air Force One making two low passes near the South Lawn. The maneuvers startled residents, triggered a flurry of 911 calls, and forced a ground stop at Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport (DCA), causing more than 200 flight delays.
Duckworth, the ranking member of the Senate Aviation Subcommittee, wrote that for children on the South Lawn, the flyover may have been a treat, but for everyone else in the National Capital Region and across the country, it was a dangerous, expensive, and profoundly unserious trick. The Council of the District of Columbia's X account confirmed that residents in downtown D.C., at the Pentagon, and near National Airport received only 15 minutes' notice before the flight.
Residents who lived through the September 11, 2001, attacks, when a hijacked airliner struck the Pentagon, immediately dialed 911 fearing another attack, Duckworth noted. The White House insisted the flyover brought joy and excitement, but Duckworth challenged that, saying, "Tell that to the people who called 911."
The senator is asking Bedford, Hegseth, and Vought to detail who approved the flyover, whether proper notification procedures were followed, and to provide a complete accounting of the cost to taxpayers. Responses are due by Nov. 20.
A Defense Department official said the department will respond directly to the authors, as with all congressional correspondence. The FAA declined to comment, and OMB did not immediately respond.
The incident comes amid heightened sensitivity to aviation risks in the region, following the midair collision over the Potomac River earlier this year. An Army Black Hawk helicopter and an American Airlines flight collided near DCA, killing all aboard. An Army report cited two broken radio transmissions as a key factor.
Duckworth concluded, "The country got a trick dressed up as a treat—and another reminder that this unserious President is more interested in impressing children with his toys than in meeting the needs of the American people."
The flyover also comes as Trump's reflecting pool event doubles as a final midterm pitch, and as the administration faces scrutiny over its handling of international crises. Critics argue the stunt reflects misplaced priorities, especially as oil prices slide and Trump touts wins on Iran.
