"Look Over There" Pointing Gesture Triggers Roar Above White House... Sparks Terror Scare Controversy

U.S. President Donald Trump and the first lady appear holding children's hands at a White House Halloween party.

As Trump hands out candy to children in front of the entrance, he suddenly points to the sky, and an airplane skims past right above the White House.

It was a surprise event prepared for Halloween using the U.S. presidential aircraft, Air Force One.

Air Force One flew over the White House one more time afterward, and the White House posted related footage on social media, calling it a "fantastic Air Force One flyover for the kids."

However, citizens in Washington, D.C., where the White House is located, were left terrified at the same time.

Because it was a surprise event, the public had not been notified in advance, and The Washington Post reported that the low-flight altitude of Air Force One at the time was only about 100 meters.

Analysts suggest the fear was even greater because the skies over Washington, D.C., home to the White House, the U.S. Capitol, and major government ministries, are normally among the most strictly controlled airspace in the United States.

The New York Times reported that some people were reminded of the September 11 terrorist attacks in 2001 by the unidentified aircraft appearing above the White House and its roaring noise.

One Washington, D.C., resident wrote on social media, "I thought my heart stopped," while even a former U.S. diplomat criticized the incident, saying, "Seeing the low-flying plane made me think it was a terrorist attack or a crash," adding, "It is not a pleasant joke at all."

The Washington, D.C., city government also received no prior notice, and the D.C. Council stated, "Even people in downtown Washington and at the Pentagon were notified only 15 minutes prior."

Reported by Park Hyeon-seok | Video by Na Hong-hee | Graphics by Lee Jeong-ju | Produced by SBS Digital News
※ Please note: This article was translated by AI and may contain errors.