In a significant move, the Trump administration has initiated the dismissal of several hundred Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) employees.
He sent them packing without a return trip ticket.
This includes probationary workers in areas such as radar, landing, navigational aid maintenance, and early warning radar systems.
You know, crucial positions that people’s lives depend on. Were these positions filled with DEI hires?
This action follows a fatal mid-air collision near Washington D.C.
There’s been far too many airplane catastrophes and finally we’re seeing something being done about aviation safety.
But I’m still not getting on an airplane. Ha!
Once they get a solid track record for a good long while, then I’ll think about it.
The Trump administration has begun firing several hundred Federal Aviation Administration employees just weeks after a fatal mid-air collision at Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport. Here's what to know. pic.twitter.com/TYXlPFdtv8
— The Associated Press (@AP) February 17, 2025
The Associated Press reports:
The Trump administration has begun firing several hundred Federal Aviation Administration employees, upending staff on a busy air travel weekend and just weeks after a January fatal mid-air collision at Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport.
Probationary workers were targeted in late night emails Friday notifying them they had been fired, David Spero, president of the Professional Aviation Safety Specialists union, said in a statement.
The impacted workers include personnel hired for FAA radar, landing and navigational aid maintenance, one air traffic controller told the Associated Press. The air traffic controller was not authorized to talk to the media and spoke on condition of anonymity.
The National Air Traffic Controllers Association said in a brief statement Monday it was “analyzing the effect of the reported federal employee terminations on aviation safety, the national airspace system and our members.”
Other FAA employees who were fired were working on an urgent and classified early warning radar system the Air Force had announced in 2023 for Hawaii to detect incoming cruise missiles, through a program that was in part funded by the Department of Defense. It’s one of several programs that the FAA’s National Defense Program manages that involve radars providing longer-range detection around the country’s borders.
Poor Greg Stanton.
He’s not happy about this.
If only Trump would let all the planes crash.
The FAA works 24/7 to ensure safe air travel for Americans, but the Trump Administration just fired hundreds of workers who are critical for their operation.
I hear from FAA employees all the time, and they’ve already been sounding the alarm about dangerous understaffing.… https://t.co/vppzuNKle9
— Rep. Greg Stanton (@RepGregStanton) February 17, 2025
Will we start seeing planes flying and landing safely again?
That’s the plan.
The Trump administration has begun firing several hundred Federal Aviation Administration employees, upending staff on a busy air travel weekend and just weeks after a January fatal mid-air collision at Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport. https://t.co/OmuuuDNkUF
— PBS News (@NewsHour) February 17, 2025
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