US transport chief vows to fix telecom issues after Marine One near-miss

US Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy said on Tuesday that he is working to resolve telecommunications problems identified after a military helicopter carrying President Donald Trump came dangerously close to a commercial airliner last week.

The incident occurred near Reagan Washington National Airport, where the presidential helicopter, Marine One, flew too close to a passenger jet that was departing. The proximity of the two aircraft has raised serious concerns about why the commercial flight was cleared for takeoff while Marine One was in the vicinity, a period during which normal commercial traffic is usually suspended.

The close call comes in the wake of a deadly collision in January 2025, when a military helicopter and a commercial jet crashed, killing all 67 people on board. Following that tragedy, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) imposed restrictions that prohibit mixed helicopter and fixed-wing traffic around the airport, a measure that appears to have been breached in this latest incident.