It appears President Donald Trump soon will make his first trip since his second inauguration to his Somerset County golf club.
The Federal Aviation Administration Safety Team on Thursday issued a notice that there will be temporary flight restrictions for "VIP movement" over Trump's Bedminster club from March 21-23.
While the notice does not specifically mention Trump, it does include the range for the temporary flight restrictions, which match those issued for presidential travel.
No official notice of temporary flight restrictions has been posted. The notices issued by the FAA Safety Team historically have been early indications of Trump's travel plans.
Prompted by security concerns from the Secret Service, the FAA imposes "temporary flight restrictions" (TFR) that prohibit all air traffic within a 10-mile radius of Trump National Golf Club and strictly restrict air traffic within a 30-mile radius whenever Trump is in town.
The flight restrictions will have an impact on two Central Jersey airports, Somerset Airport a few miles away in Bedminster and Solberg Airport in Readington, both of which have a good number of recreational pilots on weekends.
During Trump's first term, business at private airports as far away as Hunterdon County suffered because the FAA restrictions mean that the airports cannot conduct flight training, and pilots who want to fly must load a transponder so their planes can be tracked on radar and be in constant contact with New York-area air-traffic controllers.
The notice comes ahead of Trump's sixth visit to his Mar-a-Lago Club in Palm Beach from March 14-16. He has traveled to Florida for all but one weekend of his second term in the White House, heading either to Palm Beach or his Doral golf resort. He remained in Washington, D.C., the weekend of Feb. 21-23 to attend and speak at the annual Conservative Political Action Conference.
Should Trump head to Bedminster March 21-23, it would provide Palm Beach a reprieve from U.S. Secret Service-mandated road closures during the Palm Beach International Boat Show, which is March 19-23 and prompts the closure of streets along West Palm Beach's waterfront. The closure of South Ocean Boulevard next to Trump's Mar-a-Lago Club that accompanies each of his visits to Palm Beach could lead to further congestion that weekend.
Where is Trump National Golf Club Bedminster?
Trump National Golf Club is in the township of Bedminster, which as of the 2020 U.S. Census had a population of 8,272 people. Bedminster is about 39 miles from New York City, and about 216 miles from Washington, D.C.
The club sits on the south side of the two-lane Lamington Road in a rural area of New Jersey's Somerset County.
Bedminster, like Palm Beach, is known as a hub for the wealthy and famous.
On the west side of the town are estates that can span dozens of acres and are owned by some of the wealthiest people in New Jersey. The east side of Bedminster is home to a middle-class community.
Bedminster has a ho-hum attitude toward the rich and famous. Trump remains on the club property during his stays.
The president has a reputation for being a good neighbor. In the past he has allowed the local PTA and other nonprofits to host events at the club.
One of his neighbors across Lamington Road is Woody Johnson, the owner of the New York Jets and former ambassador to the United Kingdom.
Which golf tournaments have been held at Trump National in Bedminster?
In 2022 and 2023, Trump Bedminster hosted the LIV Golf Invitational Series. In 2023, Trump played in the pro-am that preceded that year's tournament.
In 2017, the LPGA held the U.S. Women's Open at the club.
The 2014 Metropolitan Open Championship and 2009 USGA Junior Amateur Championship also were held there.
When does Trump typically visit Bedminster?
Trump usually spends weekends in Bedminster after the end of Palm Beach's social season, which traditionally is after Easter. In 2017, the first year of his first term as president, Trump did not travel to Bedminster until May.
Throughout his first term, he favored Bedminster over Palm Beach during the summer, when weather is more fair in New Jersey and the social scene is much quieter in Palm Beach. The Mar-a-Lago Club closes after Easter for the off-season and does not reopen until Halloween.
It's believed that Trump could spend significantly more time at Mar-a-Lago during his second term than he did during his first. He and First Lady Melania Trump made Palm Beach their permanent residence in 2019, and those close to the president have said he prefers the setting of Mar-a-Lago when hosting visiting dignitaries.
What is the history of Trump National Bedminster?
The land on which Trump National Golf Club in Bedminster now sits was once owned by carmaker John DeLorean. The property sold in 2000 to a golf course developer who sold the property in 2002 to Trump.
The club is 500 acres, and the clubhouse was DeLorean's mansion.