Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy pushed back Sunday against accusations the Federal Aviation Administration’s decision to scale back the availability of flights as the shutdown of the federal government persists was politically driven.
The Trump administration is moving to gradually scale back air traffic nationwide — beginning with a 4% reduction Friday, 6% by Tuesday, and 10% by Nov. 14 — as unpaid FAA personnel struggle to maintain operations with no end to the shutdown in sight. During an appearance on CNN’s “State of the Union,” Duffy said his team based its decision on recent data showing a surge in near-miss incidents, ground incursions, and pilot complaints about stressed and unresponsive air traffic controllers.
“They did look at the data that we had near misses between helicopters and cross-wing airplanes. And had they looked at the data, they would have taken those helicopters out of the river. And I’m looking at data with the safety team,” Duffy told host Jake Tapper. “I didn’t tell the safety team to bring this recommendation to me; they actually saw it and they brought it to us. So we have loss of separation in the airspace.”
Duffy said the FAA’s safety team raised concerns after internal data showed rising safety lapses.
“I have more complaints coming into the FAA from pilots who are saying that air traffic controllers are not as responsive,” Duffy added. “They seem stressed. Or they’re not using the appropriate language because they’re under pressure. So I look at that data that came from the safety team and the trend line is going in the wrong direction.”
Duffy dismissed suggestions the slowdown was meant to pressure Democrats, but insisted Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer was the one politicizing the shutdown.
“So I need to take action and make sure that we keep people safe. And, again, Chuck Schumer hasn’t seen it; this is not politics. The only one playing politics is Chuck Schumer, who’s kept the government shut down. He’s voted 14 times to make sure we don’t pay air traffic controllers, he voted 14 times to not open the government up, and he’s encouraging his Democrat colleagues to do the same. So the only political play here is Chuck Schumer,” Duffy noted.
Duffy said the FAA’s decision followed a formal safety recommendation from his team.
“The safety team looked at data, made a recommendation to me — and it’s a hard decision, but that’s what we’ve done to keep people safe. By the way, Jake, I’ve done all I can to make sure I minimize disruption,” Duffy explained. “That’s what the president has done, too, saying, ‘I don’t want to see disruption for the American people.’”
“Pete Hegseth, Secretary of War, texted me yesterday and said, ‘I might have some air traffic controllers. If you could use them, I’m going to offer them to you,’” Duffy continued. “I don’t know that I can, Jake, because they’re not certified in the airspaces that we need them, but if I can, I’m going to use them. Everyone in this administration, at the direction of President Trump, has said, ‘Minimize the pain on Americans.’ So this is not political. This is strictly safety.”
Duffy announced Wednesday the FAA will impose large-scale reductions in air traffic as unpaid controllers increasingly turn to side jobs to stay afloat. He said the agency will mandate a 10% cut in flights across 40 major U.S. airports to ease pressure on uncompensated federal workers, especially as annual holiday travel ramps up.
Democrats and Republicans in Congress remain locked in a standoff over federal funding, clashing primarily over Obamacare subsidies and healthcare coverage for illegal migrants. The shutdown — the longest in U.S. history — reached its 40th day on Sunday, leaving air traffic controllers without pay since Oct. 1.
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