Russian Spy Plane Flies Over White House

A Russian spy plane made low-altitude passes over the White House and other sensitive areas on Wednesday, all in accordance with a 1992 agreement that both countries have used more than a hundred times in the past.

The Russian air force Tupolev Tu-154 plane also flew past Bedminster, New Jersey, where President Donald Trump is staying at one of his golf courses, Politico reported. The plane then appeared over Dayton, Ohio near Wright-Patterson Air Base, and back over Washington, D.C. and Philadelphia.

The flight, which took off from Moscow early Wednesday, appeared to comply with the 1992 Treaty on Open Skies that allows each country to conduct surveillance flights over the other's territory, Politico said.

The State Department said the United States and Russia have done a combined 165 flights under the treaty over the past 15 years.

"The treaty is designed to enhance mutual understanding and confidence by giving all participants, regardless of size, a direct role in gathering information through aerial imaging on military forces and activities of concern to them," the State Department said, per CNN.

The U.S. Capitol Police issued an alert of the Washington overfly between 11 a.m. and 3 p.m.

"The aircraft will be large and may fly directly over the U.S. Capitol," the alert said, per CNN. "This flight will be monitored by the U.S. Capitol Police Command Center and other federal government agencies."

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