PALM BEACH COUNTY, Fla. — Palm Beach County leaders are taking their fight straight to the U.S. Secret Service, asking for relief from flight restrictions that continue to send planes over neighborhoods — even though former President Donald Trump isn’t expected to be home for the summer.
WATCH: WPTV speaks to residents about the airplane noise
Those restrictions, designed to keep air traffic away from Mar-a-Lago, have rerouted planes over neighborhoods and homes occupied by tens of thousands of residents.
The constant drone of engines overhead has residents and county commissioners demanding change.
“It’s Not Good”
In Flamingo Park, Mark and Betsy Mitchell say they’ve learned to live — reluctantly — with the new reality as they renovate their new home.
“How do you feel about the air traffic?” WPTV's Joel Lopez asked Mark.
“I mean, we’ve sat here and talked to you for what maybe eight minutes now, and we’ve had three planes go overhead so I think that answers the question. It’s not good,” he said. “Whether it’s plane traffic, the bridge to Mar-a-Lago — either way it’s a disruption. It’s unfortunate but we understand it’s the president, we have to keep him safe.”
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Betsy says the noise has gotten worse.
“A lot of people have been putting water features in their pools that continually run so when they’re outside it does really diffuse the noise, the ambient noise from the planes,” she explained. “We’re going to do that and that’s why.”
Commissioner Demands Action
Palm Beach County Commissioner Gregg Weiss says if the Secret Service has already reopened A1A around Mar-a-Lago, the same logic should apply to the skies.
“When he’s here then they understand and accept the change and the flight path,” Weiss said. “We need to make sure he is secure, he’s the president of the United States. If he were to come back some time during the summer for whatever reason they would simply reinstitute them.”
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During Tuesday's Board of County Commissioners meeting, commissioners agreed to send a letter to the Secret Service asking that flight paths return to normal when Trump is not in residence.
“What would you say to residents who are worried about safety for the president?” Lopez asked Weiss.
“If he’s not here then who are we protecting? The commercial flights — they’ve gone through security, they should be able to fly straight out. It’s disrupted a lot of people’s lives, their ability to enjoy their homes,” he said.
Weiss estimates the altered flight paths have impacted more than 22,000 residents since restrictions were made permanent last October.
“We Should Have Some Quiet”
Long-term Flamingo Park resident Steven Large says he hears “upwards of 20 planes daily.”
“You know when they start because 6-7 in the morning is when the big commercial ones go off,” Large told me.
“What would be your message to Secret Service?” Lopez asked.
“At the very least while he’s not here and for the summer, we should have some quiet,” he said. “It’s hard to argue for the safety of an empty Mar-a-Lago over the occupied neighborhood I live in.”
Secret Service Responds
In response to WPTV’s questions, the agency issued this statement:
“While there has been an adjustment to the radius of the Temporary Flight Restrictions (TFR) in the airspace surrounding Mar-a-Lago, the U.S. Secret Service’s restriction on airspace directly above the property has not changed at this time.The Secret Service’s security posture is continuously evaluated and updated. The current threat level is heightened based on global affairs and the agency’s top priority remains providing the highest level of security to the President of the United States. We appreciate the understanding and support from the Palm Beach community.”
WPTV is working to get answers on security when Trump is not in town.
The Town of Palm Beach has also petitioned the FAA to “reevaluate, reduce, or suspend” TFRs during periods when the president is not in residence — particularly in the summer months.
Still to Come
The issue has become a centerpiece of local policy debates, touching on public nuisance concerns, quality of life, and the balance between federal security protocols and the needs of everyday residents.
A member of the Citizens Committee for Airport Noise told WPTV they plan to meet Thursday to discuss the matter further.
This story was reported on-air by a journalist and has been converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. Our editorial team verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy.
