Senator Duckworth Asks FAA for Accounting of White House 747 Flyover

Sen. Tammy Duckworth, ranking member of the Senate aviation subcommittee, sent a letter on Monday, November 2, 2026, to the FAA, the Pentagon, and the Office of Management and Budget about a presidential Boeing 747-8 flyover of the White House on Thursday, October 29. The jet, donated by Qatar and refurbished for presidential transport, made two passes while President Donald Trump hosted a Halloween gathering.

Duckworth said flight-tracking data showed the two passes between roughly 400 and 1,000 feet, close to the top of the Washington Monument, and below the FAA minimum safe altitude. An FAA spokesperson said the agency had coordinated the flyover and that operations at Reagan Washington National Airport were briefly halted. The Pentagon and FAA said they would reply to Duckworth. The District of Columbia city council said downtown Washington, the Pentagon, and National Airport received 15 minutes' notice.

Key details

• Duckworth asked when FAA Administrator Bryan Bedford was notified, what minimum altitude the FAA authorized, the cost, effects on airlines and passengers, and whether the Pentagon approved the flight for training.
• Airline officials said they had less than an hour's notice. Duckworth said some residents called 911.
• Duckworth pointed to outstanding safety recommendations after the January 2025 midair collision near Reagan National that killed 67 people.

White House spokesperson Allison Schuster said the FAA followed all necessary protocols to ensure the safety of Washington, D.C. residents.