There are unconfirmed reports that an F-16 fighter jet has crashed about 130 to 145 miles south of Grand Rapids.
"STAY AWAY FROM THE AREA: Responders are heading to a reported plane crash near County Road 633 and Blair Townhall Road in Blair Township," local news outlet UpNorthLive News wrote on X around 2:28 local time.
STAY AWAY FROM THE AREA: Responders are heading to a reported plane crash near County Road 633 and Blair Townhall Road in Blair Township.
Grand Traverse 911 says the plane is down near the intersection. Traffic in the area is shut down, and drivers should avoid the area.… pic.twitter.com/jQjFIlHoT4
UpNorthLive did not confirm that the aircraft was an F-16 but instead referred to the downed aircraft as a "plane."
OSINT X user Thenewarea51 cited air traffic control audio in which a pilot reported that his wingman may have struck a bird and was preparing to eject just south of Traverse City, Michigan.
F-16 crash ATC audio, BUCK 11 flt x2 F-16s were flying along the VFR low level route VR634 when the 11 advised MINNEAPOLIS CENTER that his wingman may have hit a bird and was going to eject just south of Traverse City, Michigan
Audio via @liveatc https://t.co/sUR7KZBR2j pic.twitter.com/QdcE4ePiUd
Footage from the crash area:
Following an F-16 crash in Blair County, Michigan, local reports indicate that the pilot is “conscious and alert” and that locals saw a parachute before the crash.
Much thanks to Skeeterdiggs23 on IG for the first photo. pic.twitter.com/JFGQQGC5RW
An f-16 just went down in northern michigan. Details still becoming available. As far as I heard the Pilot is conscience. Praying for him and any involved. Absolutely crazy situation. #northernmichigan #f16crash #michigan #f16 #emergencylanding pic.twitter.com/e7HKR2002D
— BuckshotPlays (@fbsbuckshot) September 17, 2026JUST IN: F-16 fighter jet crashes in Blair Township, Michigan pic.twitter.com/qjL3lXihlp
— BNO News (@BNONews) September 17, 2026* * *
Tyler Durden Thu, 09/17/2026 - 15:34Yesterday, I had the pleasure of speaking at the Constitution Day event at James Madison University about "Rage and the Republic." and various constitutional issues. During the event, organized by the James Madison Center on Civic Engagement, one student asked me what I would change about the U.S. Constitution. I said that I would amend the Constitution to eliminate birthright citizenship, as have other nations who once followed this ill-considered practice. Well, Sen. Rand Paul (R., Kentucky) has wasted no time. He just reintroduced his bill to ban birthright citizenship.
I have previously written about the possible need for such an amendment after the decision in Trump v. Barbara.
With that decision, the matter now rests not with the court but with the country. We have never truly had a national debate over the practice. The basis and future of birthright citizenship have remained matters almost exclusively for the courts.
Most countries in the world reject this controversial policy. Our closest allies in Europe reject birthright citizenship and follow the common practice of "jus sanguinis," or right of blood. We are part of a smaller number of countries following "jus soli," or right of soil.
Various countries that once followed the practice later amended their constitutions or laws to get rid of it. That is what would need to be done with a 28th amendment.
It is time that we have a civil and substantive debate over birthright citizenship in the United States. Given that the states are Democratic-controlled, it is unlikely that an amendment would pass; as noted, we have never been given this decision at the national level. Even with the 14th Amendment's ratification in 1868, there were differing views on the meaning of the critical line: "All persons born or naturalized in the United States, and subject to the jurisdiction thereof, are citizens of the United States and of the State wherein they reside."
Both sides have good-faith arguments, but the time for that debate is long overdue.
Here is the language of the amendment:
JOINT RESOLUTION
Proposing an amendment to the Constitution of the United States to protect United States citizenship.
That the following article is proposed as an amendment to the Constitution of the United States, which shall be valid to all intents and purposes as part of the Constitution when ratified by the legislatures of three-fourths of the several States within seven years after the date of its submission for ratification:
"article -
"Section 1. For purposes of the 14th article of amendment to the Constitution of the United States, a person may be considered to be 'subject to the jurisdiction of the United States' only in accordance with section 2.
"Section 2. A person born in the United States may only be considered 'subject to the jurisdiction of the United States' if the person is born in the United States of parents, one of whom is -
"(1) a citizen or national of the United States;
"(2) an alien lawfully admitted for permanent residence in the United States whose residence is in the United States; or
"(3) an alien with lawful status under the immigration laws performing active service in the Armed Forces.
"Section 3. Congress shall have the power to carry out this article through appropriate legislation."
Tyler Durden Thu, 09/17/2026 - 15:05Kremlin sources are sounding the alarm over increasing NATO flights observed flying closely to Russia's border, amid dangerously heightened rhetoric over alleged Russian drone incursions in the Baltics and Poland, as well as accusations of a Russian-backed UAV sabotage campaign in Germany and central Europe.
State media reports, "German, French and UK military aircraft have been spotted flying near the Russian border, according to flight data analyzed by Sputnik on Thursday."
Example of a French Air Force Airbus A330 MRTTThe heightened Western military aerial activity is further described, with the outlet writing, "A German air force aircraft took off from the German Nordholz airfield at around 6:12 a.m. (GMT) and as of 8:50 a.m. it was spotted patrolling over the Baltic Sea."
"A French air force Airbus A330-243MRTT military aircraft was circling in Finnish airspace near the Russian border as of 9:42 a.m., while a UK air force Boeing Poseidon MRA1 patrol aircraft with the call sign RFR7045 was circling near Russia's Kaliningrad Region in Polish airspace as of 10:30 a.m.," the report indicates.
We earlier detailed how recent drone spillover from the conflict, including explosive-laden drones coming out of Belarusian territory and threatening the Baltics, has resulted in Western officials increasingly alluding to NATO 'collective defense'.
This kind of rhetoric strongly suggests the situation could rapidly escalate into full-blown Russia-NATO direct confrontation on the basis of a single aircraft shootdown.
Earlier this week Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov responded to allegations of European officials that Moscow seeks to expand the war beyond Ukraine.
"I would like to emphasize that we have no interest in engaging in this [attacking Europe], but if Europe, which is talking about preparing for war against Russia on a daily basis, attacks Russia, it will be a completely different war, and it will be very short," Lavrov said in translated remarks. There was clearly a whiff of nuclear threat behind these remarks.
Ukraine war spillover into NATO 'eastern flank' members' airspace is now becoming a weekly reality, which presents added pressure and dangers which could potentially lead to broader disaster.
Poland border train station strike was by far the biggest event this month, taking the jingoistic rhetoric and tit-for-tat threats higher:
Russia has hit a border control point at the border with Poland.
Russian drones have been terrorizing Western regions of Ukraine yesterday and last night.
It is reported that air raid alerts also sounded in several regions of Poland. pic.twitter.com/cY6mSAgYsB
Given there have been instances where even Russian-crewed jets have either briefly violated European airspace or come close to it, we are possibly one jet intercept and downing away from something that triggers a shooting war between Russia and NATO.
Tyler Durden Thu, 09/17/2026 - 14:45