WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. — U.S. Rep. Lois Frankel, D-Fla., released a memo Tuesday regarding a classified meeting with the U.S. Secret Service amid ongoing efforts with both them and the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) to address the year-round flight restrictions around Mar-a-Lago implemented in October.
The change has diverted planes from flying over President Donald Trump's estate, redirecting aircraft over neighborhoods in West Palm Beach and Palm Beach and prompting the county to move forward with litigation against both the FAA and the U.S. Secret Service.
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"Keeping the President and our country safe is essential, and our community wants security measures that are fair, reasonable, and minimize harm to the tens of thousands of people affected," Frankel said in a statement.
Frankel said she met recently with five members of the U.S. Secret Service to discuss the ongoing 24/7 flight restrictions over Mar-a-Lago and the significant impact on surrounding neighborhoods.
"While some portions of the briefing remain classified, most of our discussion was not, and I want to share what I can with you directly," Frankel said. "My goal is to facilitate a solution that keeps the President and our country safe, using flight restrictions that impact the least number of people in the safest, fairest way possible."
During the meeting with the Secret Service, Frankel said she expressed that residents understand security is essential for the president. However, the community does not understand why the new restrictions must be in place when Trump is not in Palm Beach County.
"I told the Secret Service that community complaints include increased noise and air pollution affecting quality of life, lowering of property values, potential flight safety issues, and delays," Frankel said.
The congresswoman said the Secret Service did not commit to specific changes, but expressed openness to further engagement with:
- Local elected officials
- County and airport leadership
- Community groups
- Concerned residents
- Other affected parties
"This is an important step toward transparency and ensuring community concerns are part of the federal decision-making process," Frankel said.
Below are the next steps regarding the situation:
- Frankel said she is pursuing a direct meeting with the FAA and PBI staff to discuss the possibility of alternate or scaled-back restrictions
- She is requesting another classified briefing with the Secret Service to get more details on the reasons that have led to severe flight path restrictions
- Also, she is pursuing a meeting among the Secret Service, FAA, and community and local officials
The congresswoman said the previous flight paths impacted about 2,200 homes and 5,000 people. However, the new route, northeast of the airport, impacts more than 11,000 homes and 21,000 residents and at least five schools and many businesses.
Frankel said planes are taking off and landing as frequently as every 90 seconds.
"In the two months since these restrictions were put in place, the Palm Beach County Department of Airports has received hundreds of complaints," Frankel said. "Community concerns include increased noise and air pollution, lower property values and potential flight delays."
She vowed to keep the community updated as new information becomes available.
