Trump Administration Cuts FAA Workforce Amid Safety Concerns
The Trump administration has fired nearly 300 Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) employees, including maintenance mechanics, aeronautical information specialists, and aviation safety assistants, as part of a broader federal workforce reduction. The layoffs come just weeks after a fatal midair collision over Washington, D.C., which killed 67 people and highlighted concerns about understaffing at the agency. The Professional Aviation Safety Specialists union criticized the decision, calling it “hastily made” and warning that it would exacerbate existing staffing challenges, particularly in the wake of three deadly aircraft accidents in the past month.
Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy defended the layoffs, stating that the affected employees were probationary workers hired less than a year ago and that no air traffic controllers or critical safety personnel were let go. Duffy also announced that a team from Elon Musk’s SpaceX would visit the FAA’s command center to explore ways to modernize the nation’s aging air traffic control systems. This move follows tensions between SpaceX and the FAA, which last year proposed civil penalties against Musk’s company for alleged licensing and safety violations.
The layoffs have drawn criticism from lawmakers, including Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, who linked the firings to recent aviation incidents, such as a Delta Air Lines jet accident in Toronto. Meanwhile, the National Transportation Safety Board continues to investigate the cause of the Washington, D.C., collision, the deadliest U.S. air crash in nearly 25 years. The FAA maintains that it continues to hire and onboard air traffic controllers and safety professionals, though specifics about the full scope of the layoffs remain unclear.
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