This past weekend, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), the key authority in U.S. aviation, found itself at the center of a contentious situation as the Trump Administration opted to terminate the employment of hundreds of FAA staff members. This decision comes on the heels of a tragic midair collision over Washington, D.C., that claimed 67 lives just weeks prior.
The majority of those dismissed were probationary employees, part of a broader initiative spearheaded by the newly established Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), which is linked to billionaire Elon Musk’s ambitions to streamline government operations. Although no air traffic controllers were included in the layoffs, the dismissals have raised serious concerns about the FAA’s ability to maintain critical operations, particularly as it faces existing staffing shortages and increased pressure due to a series of recent aviation incidents. Just the next day, a Delta Air Lines flight arriving from Minneapolis crash-landed at Toronto Pearson International Airport, injuring at least 18 passengers as the plane flipped over on the runway.
Aviation safety experts and union representatives are sounding alarms that these layoffs could impose additional strain on an agency already challenged to improve its safety record and resolve staffing issues. The union representing those affected described the terminations as a “hasty decision” that would “increase the workload and impose additional responsibilities on a workforce that is already stretched thin.” They pointed out that such actions are particularly concerning in light of three fatal aviation accidents occurring within just a month.
Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy addressed the backlash via social media, stating, “The FAA has a substantial workforce of 45,000 employees. Fewer than 400 were let go, all of whom were probationary and had been employed for less than a year. Importantly, no air traffic controllers or key safety personnel were dismissed.”
Let’s explore the FAA’s role and responsibilities.
What is the FAA and what does it do?
The FAA is the primary federal body responsible for ensuring aviation safety across the United States. Operating under the U.S. Department of Transportation, this agency regulates civil aviation, oversees air traffic control, manages airport operations, and certifies aircraft.
Congress established the agency following a devastating incident in 1958, when a military jet collided with a commercial airliner at 21,000 feet above Las Vegas.
In addition to its daily operations, the FAA has an important, albeit lesser-known, role in national security. It protects U.S. airspace through programs like the National Airspace System Defense Program, which utilizes radar systems to detect potential missile threats or unauthorized aircraft. The FAA also regulates unmanned aircraft systems (UAS), commonly known as drones, operating within U.S. airspace. Recently, the agency temporarily banned drone flights in New Jersey due to sightings of unidentified, brightly colored flying objects.
The FAA’s authority even extends to overseeing rocket launches, including those from Musk’s SpaceX. Last year, the agency proposed civil penalties against SpaceX for alleged violations of licensing requirements, leading Musk to threaten legal action against the FAA for what he referred to as “regulatory overreach.”
According to a Government Accountability Office report released last year, the FAA has been struggling with workforce shortages and outdated technology for an extended period. The report indicated that over one-third of the FAA’s systems were classified as “unsustainable,” either due to obsolescence or a lack of spare parts. The GAO pointed to the agency’s slow modernization efforts and highlighted the lack of clear plans to address critical system needs.
The impact of recent firings
Officials from the Department of Transportation quickly moved to minimize the significance of the recent layoffs, arguing that they primarily affected probationary employees and did not target air traffic controllers. However, these firings take place amidst rising criticism from President Donald Trump and others regarding the FAA’s operational efficiency.
Union representatives argue that the layoffs disproportionately impacted technical staff, particularly those involved in radar maintenance and other critical infrastructure roles.
David Spero, the national president of the Professional Aviation Safety Specialists, AFL-CIO, stated, “This decision did not consider the staffing needs of the FAA, which is already dealing with understaffing issues. Staffing decisions should align with the agency’s essential requirements. Ignoring this is dangerous for public safety, especially given the three fatal aircraft incidents that occurred in the past month.”
The FAA employees who were let go over the weekend were part of a larger trend of federal layoffs impacting thousands nationwide, which began on Thursday with little notice and mostly targeted probationary workers—those with less than one or two years of employment and therefore easier to terminate. The Trump Administration has directed most agencies to release nearly all probationary employees lacking civil service protections.
Read More: ‘The Worst I’ve Ever Seen’: Trump’s Mass Layoffs Leave Federal Workers Baffled and Angry
One of those affected, Charles Spitzer-Stadtlander, worked within the FAA’s National Defense Program. In a LinkedIn post, he described his role as “responsible for protecting the National Air Space from threats such as missiles, enemy drones, and aircraft that might be used as weapons (think 9/11).”
“The FAA NDP is a small but crucial part of safeguarding the American public and many border states that face potential threats from adversaries like China and Russia,” he noted.
Musk allies reviewing air traffic control system
Secretary Duffy announced plans to overhaul the air traffic control system, with assistance from a team of engineers from Musk’s SpaceX. This company, whose rocket launches are regulated by the FAA, is currently facing proposed penalties from the agency. On Monday, the engineering team visited the FAA’s command center in Virginia to gain insights into the current system, understand what air traffic controllers prefer in their tools, and brainstorm ideas to create a new, improved, and safer system. The exact contributions the SpaceX engineers can bring to the FAA remain unclear.
Trump’s criticism of the FAA
Following the tragic crash near D.C. in late January, President Donald Trump publicly criticized the FAA, linking the incident to diversity initiatives, despite a lack of evidence to support his claims.
“We need brilliant people in those positions,” Trump asserted, suggesting that the agency had lowered its standards under former President Joe Biden, actively recruiting individuals with significant intellectual or psychological challenges as part of diversity initiatives. These remarks have drawn considerable criticism, with opponents arguing that the President overlooks the essential technical work performed by FAA staff across various divisions, pointing out that the air traffic controller diversity program he denounced was initiated during his first term.
Trump also faced backlash for disbanding all members of the Aviation Security Advisory Committee, a group formed by Congress after the 1988 PanAm 103 bombing to advise the Department of Homeland Security on aviation safety. Although the committee is still technically in existence, it currently lacks any members to fulfill its mission of reviewing safety issues and recommending enhancements to airport and airline security.
