Man arrested for allegedly pointing laser at Marine One helicopter carrying President Trump near White House
A man has been charged with pointing a laser at Marine One while President Donald Trump was aboard the helicopter on Saturday, according to a sworn affidavit filed by a U.S. Secret Service officer.
The affidavit, signed by Officer Diego Santiago and Magistrate Judge Zia Faruqui of the D.C. District Court, states that Jacob Samuel Winkler directed a red laser beam at Santiago before turning it toward Marine One. The incident occurred as the helicopter was departing the White House en route to a private dinner in Mount Vernon, Virginia, shortly after 6 p.m. EDT.
Winkler is facing a felony charge for aiming a laser pointer at an aircraft, a federal offense that carries a maximum penalty of five years in prison.
According to the affidavit, Officer Santiago observed Winkler behaving erratically—shirtless, loudly talking to himself—on Constitution Avenue. After Santiago illuminated Winkler with a flashlight, Winkler allegedly used the laser to temporarily disorient the officer before pointing it at the helicopter.
The affidavit notes that the laser created a serious safety risk, potentially causing flash blindness or disorientation to the pilots, especially given the helicopter’s low-altitude flight near the Washington Monument and other nearby aircraft, including those operated by the U.S. Marine Corps and U.S. Park Police. Officials say this could have led to a dangerous in-air collision.
Following the incident, Santiago took Winkler into custody. Winkler reportedly apologized to Trump and admitted during questioning that he had pointed the laser at Marine One. He also claimed to regularly aim the laser at objects like stop signs. Authorities recovered a 3-inch fixed-blade knife from him during the arrest.
The Hill has contacted the White House and the U.S. Secret Service for comment and is seeking information on whether Winkler has obtained legal counsel.
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