Look, Up in the Sky: Low-Flying Air Force One Over White House Sparks Terror Fears

U.S. President Donald Trump and the First Lady arrive hand in hand with children for a Halloween party at the White House.

As Trump hands out candy to children at the front entrance and suddenly points a finger toward the sky, an airplane sweeps 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 flight for the kids."

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

Because it was a surprise event, citizens 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 say the fear was even greater because the airspace over Washington, D.C., where the White House, the federal Capitol, and major ministries are situated, is normally one of the most strictly controlled skies in the United States.

The New York Times reported that some people were reminded of the September 11 terrorist attacks in 2001 upon seeing the unidentified aircraft and its roaring sound appearing over the White House.

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

The Washington, D.C., city government also failed to receive prior notice, and the D.C. Council stated, "Even people in downtown Washington and the Pentagon were notified only 15 minutes prior."

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