‘Because We Can’

Posted by on February 23, 2025 1:15 pm
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Categories: National News

In a sweeping and controversial move, Donald Trump and Elon Musk orchestrated the mass firing of hundreds of Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) employees, including key legal staff responsible for preventing unfit pilots from flying. The cuts, which blindsided agency officials, were carried out under Musk’s Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) as part of Trump’s aggressive downsizing of the federal workforce. Among those dismissed were lawyers tasked with investigating flight schools, suspending licenses of pilots with DUIs or drug dependencies, and enforcing aviation safety regulations. While Trump and Musk’s administration claimed to have exempted safety-critical roles, insiders argue that the definition of “critical” was manipulated, further straining an already underfunded and understaffed FAA. The move sparked backlash, with Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy, a former reality TV star, being booed at an event for defending the firings as a necessary efficiency measure, reports RollingStone.com

The timing of the mass layoffs has raised alarm, as they come amid a series of fatal plane accidents, including a mid-air collision near Washington, D.C., and crashes in Pennsylvania and Alaska. While FAA staffers do not directly attribute these incidents to the purge, they warn that eliminating essential safety personnel could worsen aviation oversight and endanger passengers. The chaotic execution of the firings left even agency leadership unprepared, creating an atmosphere of uncertainty and fear within the FAA. Meanwhile, Musk has positioned SpaceX engineers as senior advisors to the FAA’s acting administrator, further consolidating his influence. As security tightens within the agency, concerns grow over the administration’s unpredictable governance, with many fearing that Trump’s restructuring efforts are prioritizing ideological control over public safety.