Trump Says NATO Should Shoot Down Jets That Breach NATO Airspace

During a busy day at the UN Tuesday where he at one point voiced a dramatic shift in perspective on Ukraine, taking to Truth Social to say he believes Ukrainian forces can take back the whole of the east, President Trump also stated that NATO should shoot down any Russian aircraft that violates NATO airspace.

The very bold bold remark, which flirts with a WW3-style confrontation with Russia, comes after several alleged Russian airspace violations of NATO eastern flank members’ airspace, namely Poland, Romania, and Estonia – earlier this month.

Trump made the comment during a meeting with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly. He was asked whether NATO should engage Russian aircraft that enter its airspace, to which Trump simply replied, „Yes, I do.”

Source: FOX/Getty Images

On the same day NATO held Article 4 consultations in response to Estonia’s claim that Russian jets had entered its airspace for 12 minutes. The alleged incursion by three MiG-31 jets occurred over Vaindloo, an uninhabited Estonian island in the Gulf of Finland, roughly 15 miles from the mainland.

British Foreign Secretary Yvette Cooper said at the meeting Moscow was risking „a direct armed confrontation between NATO and Russia.”

„Our alliance is defensive, but be under no illusion… if we need to confront planes that are operating in NATO airspace without permission, then we will do so,” she said.

Russia has rejected the accusation, calling it unfounded. The Russian Defense Ministry said the jets were on a scheduled flight to Kaliningrad and that the route stayed over international waters, maintaining a distance of over three kilometers from Vaindloo.

Despite all the hype and warlike stances from various corners of Europe, NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte emphasized that the Russian aircraft were not deemed an immediate threat.

„In the latest airspace violation we discussed today in Estonia, NATO forces promptly intercepted and escorted the aircraft without escalation,” Rutte said.

When asked by a reporters whether NATO would shoot down manned or unmanned Russian aircraft in similar situations, Rutte stressed that such decisions are made in real time and are based on the threat level. „We evaluate the intent, armament, and risk to allied forces, civilians, or infrastructure,” he explained.

Rutte’s response appeared much more cautious and rational when compared to Trump’s quick „yes” response when asked the same question.

REPORTER: Do you think that NATO countries should shoot down Russian aircraft if they enter their airspace?

TRUMP: Yes I do pic.twitter.com/ivS7vkW22d

— Aaron Rupar (@atrupar) September 23, 2025

While NATO forces have previously shot down drones over Poland, which Warsaw says were launched by Russia, it’s clear that targeting a manned Russian jet would represent a major escalation, with the potential to trigger a broader major war.