United States military officials said Tuesday that one of its fighter jets intercepted a civilian plane that was flying through restricted airspace in Ohio above a town that President Donald Trump was visiting for a high school athletic event.

The president attended the finale of the 2026 Patriot Games in Geneva, Ohio, where over 100 high school students ages 14-17 representing states and territories competed against each other in a showcase of determination, resilience and hometown pride.

The North American Aerospace Defense Command said it intercepted the aircraft at approximately 6:15 p.m. Eastern and dispensed flares that may have been visible to the public on the ground.

"The flares were used to draw attention from or communicate with the pilot," NORAD said. "Flares are employed with the highest regard for safety, burn out quickly and completely, and pose no danger to people on the ground."

NORAD said the aircraft was safely escorted out of the area without incident.

The North American aviation group also instructed pilots that intercept a NORAD aircraft to immediately switch to frequency 121.5 or 243.0 and turn around to reverse course until receiving additional instructions.

Misty Severi is a news reporter for Just The News. You can follow her on X for more coverage.