The Trump administration has fired hundreds of Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) employees, just weeks after a fatal mid-air collision in Washington DC.
Several probationary workers were notified via email late Friday night, according to Alex Spero, head of the Professional Aviation Safety Specialists (PASS) union.
Spero criticized the layoffs as “shameful,” warning they would overburden an already stretched workforce. He stressed that reducing staff after three deadly aircraft accidents in a month, including one near Ronald Reagan Airport that killed 67 people, is “unconscionable.”
The FAA stated it had retained employees in safety-critical roles and continues hiring air traffic controllers and safety professionals. However, the layoffs, part of a cost-cutting initiative led by Elon Musk’s Department of Government Efficiency (Doge), affected systems specialists, safety inspectors, maintenance mechanics, and administrative staff.
Jason King, an affected employee, expressed concerns about aviation safety, stating that cutting safety-critical positions “threatens public trust and increases the likelihood of future accidents.”
On Monday, Elon Musk’s SpaceX team planned to visit the FAA to suggest improvements to the air traffic control system. This visit follows reports that staffing levels at the airport were below normal during the recent collision.
Transport Secretary Sean Duffy said the visit would help develop a “world-class air traffic control system.” He also announced plans to visit the FAA Academy to assess training standards.
President Trump faced additional controversy for suggesting that diversity programs had lowered hiring standards, potentially contributing to the crash.
The administration also ordered agencies to dismiss nearly all probationary employees, potentially impacting hundreds of thousands of workers. Cuts extended to half of the Centers for Disease Control’s “disease detectives,” raising public health concerns.
Additionally, Trump sought Supreme Court approval to fire Hampton Dellinger, head of the US Office of Special Counsel, who sued after his dismissal. The president has previously removed over a dozen inspectors general from various federal agencies.
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