By Olivia Rinaldi, White House Reporter

NASA Administrator Jared Isaacman conducted a flyover with private military jets in Washington, D.C., despite safety concerns raised by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA). Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche accompanied Isaacman as a passenger.

A senior adviser to Isaacman petitioned the FAA for his company, JDI Holdings, to have aerial demonstrations at the National Mall during America’s 250 celebrations. The company proposed using four Northrop F-5 Tiger II aircraft flown by NASA and U.S. Air Force pilots.

Isaacman, whose wealth comes from Shift4 Payments, co-founded Draken International, owning a significant fleet of fighter jets. The FAA, citing high risks due to emergency landing limitations, denied the petition for the Cold War-era F-5 jets.

Despite the denial, NASA transferred Isaacman’s aircraft to public use, bypassing FAA restrictions. The FAA’s statement clarified that once turned into public use, safety responsibilities fell to NASA.

Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche expressed his honor on social media for joining Isaacman during the flyover. The event marked a memorable celebration with displays and a speech from President Trump, praised by the White House.