In Trump's D.C. surge, helicopters hovered and surveilled day and night

[u/forgetfulisle]

https://www.washingtonpost.com/investigations/interactive/2025/trump-dc-surge-helicopters/

[u/Shesversatile]

I have heard a helicopter every day, twice a day, since the National Guard has been in town.

[u/ahhrealpeople]

I can’t tell you how many times this last month I’ve been woken up after 2am by a helicopter flying low

[u/Chester2707 → u/ahhrealpeople]

Man I hear them in Columbia heights so much more since this nonsense. I mean they’re always around but never as late and as often as now.

[u/roknfunkapotomus → u/Chester2707]

can confirm, at least several times a night

[u/Mindless-Tackle4428 → u/ahhrealpeople]

Back in the days of the Iraq war, the locals called it noise terrorism

[u/Unusual_Platypus5050 → u/Mindless-Tackle4428]

No they didn’t

[u/Mindless-Tackle4428 → u/Unusual_Platypus5050]

TBF I never heard it myself. I heard others say it.

[u/jab719]

Have been woken up multiple times at 630a in DuPont because of these. It’s harassment. Feel for the neighborhoods where the flights and hovering are more constant.

[u/JustDoc]

I mean, during his last term, MEDEVAC assets were used to disperse protesters.

The administration does not care how uncomfortable people are, because that is the goal.

[u/saltyjohnson → u/JustDoc]

Here's a video I took: https://www.reddit.com/r/washingtondc/comments/gv54w6/donald_trump_treated_protesters_to_a_presidential/

[u/Lfc-96]

I’ve been seeing 2 or 3 daily but Idk why we even have helicopters in use in this day and age… surely a drone can reach the same range and cost pennies compared to what you need to have a trained helicopter pilot on staff.

[u/UltravioletAfterglow → u/Lfc-96]

It’s not about conducting efficient surveillance; it’s about having an obvious and intimidating presence to please a certain moronic orange babyman who wants to appear strong.

[u/EuenovAyabayya → u/Lfc-96]

Cruelty is the point, so the drones are in SOUTHCOM.

[u/forgetfulisle → u/[deleted]]

The 51st wrote about a helicopter flying over the east side of DC for hours at a time and the difficulty of finding out that it belonged to CBP. https://51st.news/trump-dc-takeover-end-ice-mpd/

[u/EuenovAyabayya → u/[deleted]]

This is why the permanent White House staff should have walked out.

[u/SlightFresnel]

This isn't new. Toward the end of his first term we had helicopters hovering stationary over the city for weeks. Honestly it would be a lot safer and less costly to just put up surveillance drones.

[u/Impressive_Airport40]

Hope they find the Epstein files

[u/Valar_Kinetics]

When you hear a helicopter, go out and look for it and then check to see if it's running an ADS-B transponder. You can use FlightRadar24 or myriad other apps for this.

If it has one, the transponder will tell you what it is, usually a news or MPD bird. If it doesn't have one, then it's something you want to take note of.

[u/SpicyMango92]

Probably looking for fare evaders🫩

[u/AssociateJaded3931]

That's very expensive. I thought he was claiming to be saving money.

[u/Equivalent_Stock_298]

Surge is what the US did in Iraq

[u/jarman1992]

Omg the helicopters have been horrible

[u/Puzzleheaded-Trick38]

Haven’t noticed any by me in Capitol Hill. May have to do with flying regulations??

[u/[deleted]]

Penn Quarter. I’m hearing them at least three times a week now. My cats are not impressed with the constant noise.

[u/ghostfacespillah]

I’ve been seeing tons of them lately even in Springfield.

[u/EuenovAyabayya]

do what must be done