It’s one of the sure signs President Donald Trump will visit his Palm Beach home. The Federal Aviation Administration issued a notice of flight restrictions for the area for the weekend.
According to the notice, posted to the FAA website, Trump will arrive at his Mar-a-Lago Club on Friday, Feb. 3 and depart on Monday, Feb. 6.
It will be Trump's first stay at his lavish home on the island since his Jan. 20 inauguration. He's expected to attend the 60th annual Red Cross Ball being held at Mar-a-Lago on Saturday night.
Palm Beach County officials expressed concern last week that flight restrictions for a Trump visit would have a negative effect on the area, as the Secret Service will call for what amounts to a shutdown of the Lantana airport. The general aviation hub — listed as one of the 10 busiest in the country — sits within a 10-nautical mile radius of Mar-a-Lago, making it subject to strict flight controls.
County Airports Director Bruce Pelly said Monday that he’s requested the Secret Service ease the restrictions on the Lantana airport, and “we intend to continue the process, but clearly nothing’s going to change for this visit.”
He added that everyone involved sees Trump’s coming visit as a way to see how the restrictions play out, with the possibility to make changes after that.
The flight restrictions are much stronger than those that were in effect when Trump visited while president-elect. There now will be a one-mile “no-fly” zone over Mar-a-Lago — a move that will make commercial flights arriving to and taking off from Palm Beach International Airport angle north or south away from the estate.
Still to be announced: A Coast Guard advisory for the waters surrounding Mar-a-Lago. In past visits, the agency has restricted access to the Intracoastal and Atlantic Ocean adjacent to the property, posting patrols in both areas to prevent curious boaters and potential troublemakers alike from breaching the set perimeter.
Though Trump hopes to build a helipad at Mar-a-Lago — Palm Beach officials are reviewing the plan for approval — residents along the Southern Boulevard corridor can expect road closures as Trump makes his way to and from the airport, and anywhere else he goes while in town. On his visit for the Christmas and New Year's holidays, Trump played golf twice, including a trip to his West Palm Beach golf course where he was joined by Tiger Woods.
The visit comes as temperatures in Washington, D.C., plunge into the upper 30s, while the weather this weekend in Palm Beach is forecast to be clear and sunny, with highs in the 70s and low 80s. Trump will travel to South Florida from Milwaukee, Wisconsin, where he will speak about the economy.
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