- Trump administration fires hundreds of FAA employees amid safety concerns.
- Layoffs part of a cost-cutting initiative led by Elon Musk’s Department of Government Efficiency.
- SpaceX team to visit FAA, while critics warn the cuts could endanger aviation safety.
The Donald Trump administration has begun dismissing hundreds of Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) employees, according to the Professional Aviation Safety Specialists (PASS) union, just weeks after a fatal mid-air collision in Washington, D.C.
The layoffs primarily target probationary workers—those with less than a year of experience—who were informed via email late Friday night, according to PASS president Alex Spero. The move is part of a cost-cutting initiative led by Elon Musk’s Department of Government Efficiency (Doge), which seeks to significantly reduce the federal workforce.
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Spero condemned the firings as “shameful”, warning that they would increase workload and strain an already overburdened FAA workforce. The dismissed employees include systems specialists, safety inspectors, maintenance mechanics, and administrative staff, many of whom play vital roles in aviation safety.
“The FAA is already struggling with understaffing,” Spero said, calling the cuts “unconscionable” in light of three fatal aircraft accidents in the past month, including the Washington, D.C., crash at Ronald Reagan Airport, which claimed 67 lives.
Among those affected is Jason King, a former FAA safety specialist, who voiced serious concerns about the impact on aviation safety.
“Firing people directly involved in air safety is deeply concerning for public safety in our national airspace,” King told WUSA9, a CBS affiliate. He warned that cutting critical personnel “threatens public trust and increases the likelihood of future accidents.”
“Aviation safety should never be treated as just another budget item that can be slashed,” he added.
As concerns mount, a SpaceX team led by Elon Musk is scheduled to visit the FAA on Monday to propose improvements to the U.S. air traffic control system. The visit comes as investigators probe whether understaffing contributed to the Washington, D.C., plane crash, as reports suggest air traffic control levels at the airport were below normal on the night of the collision.
Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy defended the layoffs and said the SpaceX team’s visit would provide “a first-hand look at the current system” and help develop “a new, world-class air traffic control system that will be the envy of the world.”
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Duffy also announced plans to visit the FAA Academy later this week to assess workforce training and “ensure that only the very best guide our aircraft.”
Meanwhile, President Donald Trump stirred controversy last month by suggesting that diversity programs backed by previous administrations had lowered hiring standards, implying they could have played a role in the Washington, D.C., plane crash.
