Shaheen criticizes FAA firings, warns of air safety threats

U.S. Senator Jeanne Shaheen took to the Senate floor this week to criticize the Trump Administration’s sudden firing of hundreds of Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) employees, arguing the move has jeopardized public safety at a time when airline incidents and near-misses appear to be on the  rise.

Shaheen’s remarks come on the heels of a recent fatal incident at Reagan National Airport in Washington, the deadliest commercial aviation event on U.S. soil in over two decades. Citing overworked air traffic controllers who already face long hours and staff shortages, Shaheen said the firings could cripple the nation’s aviation safety operations.

“These controllers are hardworking Americans,” Shaheen said in her floor speech. “They often log six-day weeks and ten-hour days — and that’s on a good week.”

The senator highlighted the critical support roles within the FAA, noting that many of those fired specialize in maintaining and repairing aging equipment at airports around the country. She pointed to towers and en-route facilities operating with technology that is sometimes more than a decade old.

“If a communications system goes down while a plane is approaching the runway, the person who knows how to get it back up and running is absolutely essential,” Shaheen said. “Americans need to know that the skies are secure and that their safety is a top priority.”

While the Trump Administration has insisted that none of the fired employees were “critical safety personnel,” Shaheen disputed this claim. She argued that the roles eliminated — ranging from maintenance support to radar system management — are vital for ensuring safe and efficient flights.

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Just last week, Shaheen and Senator John Hoeven (R-ND) sent a bipartisan letter to Acting FAA Administrator Chris Rochelau, pressing for urgent collaboration with Congress to address staffing shortages in air traffic control. Instead, the administration proceeded with layoffs that Shaheen likened to a “reckless” and “unconscionable” choice.

“I think we should do everything we can to make government run efficiently and effectively,” said Shaheen. “But indiscriminately freezing hiring across the board [and] pushing out thousands of civil servants makes that problem worse, not better.”

Shaheen also drew parallels to recent terminations at other federal agencies, including the Department of Energy and the Department of Agriculture, suggesting a pattern of hasty decisions with potentially dangerous consequences. She highlighted recent attempts to rehire certain individuals once the administration realized their critical expertise — particularly in areas like nuclear security and public health.

“Either [the administration is] doing it deliberately in an effort to undermine the United States,” she said, “or they’re doing it because they’re so ignorant they have no idea what any of these people do.”

Additionally, Shaheen warned that the firings could hamper ongoing efforts to modernize the nation’s air traffic control system. A bipartisan measure included in last year’s FAA reauthorization bill aimed to improve staffing levels, but the senator now worries those gains may be lost.

Shaheen called on the Trump Administration to reverse course, arguing that Americans elected President Trump expecting improvements in areas like inflation, grocery prices, and energy costs — not sweeping layoffs in federal agencies. She labeled the firings as a form of “retribution” against perceived enemies rather than a genuine push for efficiency.

“I don’t think people elected Donald Trump to dismantle this country’s air traffic control system,” said Shaheen. “For the sake of our citizens, we must do better. I’m calling on this administration to right this wrong as quickly as possible, before it’s too late.”