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Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy made firm commitments on Sunday to increase air traffic controller staffing while continuing to point fingers at DEI initiatives in the wake of Wednesday’s devastating collision at Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport.
Speaking on CNN’s “State of the Union,” the 53-year-old cabinet secretary acknowledged that fully training new controllers would take several years, as he addressed lingering questions about the tragic crash between a military Black Hawk helicopter and an American Airlines commuter aircraft that claimed 67 lives.
“We’re going to surge air traffic controllers; we’re going to bring in the best and the brightest,” Duffy declared on the program, though he cautioned that results would take “a year to three years from now.”
The mission of @USDOT and @FAANews is safety. The last administration prioritized the environment and social justice over safety. Under the Trump Administration, we are back on mission.
“We’re focused on safety and having the best people delivering that safety. I don’t care… pic.twitter.com/TFVI3R6beR
— Secretary Sean Duffy (@SecDuffy) February 2, 2025
The path to becoming an air traffic controller is lengthy, requiring several years of FAA training followed by two to three years of hands-on experience before certification. Currently, approximately 90% of airport towers nationwide are operating with insufficient staff, according to CBS News findings.
Duffy emphasized that bipartisan congressional support would be essential to secure resources for this significant hiring initiative. Reports indicate that at the time of the collision, only one controller was managing both helicopter and airplane traffic at Reagan National, whereas standard protocol calls for separate controllers for each.
The catastrophic crash over the Potomac River resulted in the deaths of all 64 individuals aboard the American Airlines flight from Wichita and three Army personnel in the Black Hawk, which was conducting training exercises. Initial data indicates the helicopter was flying at 325 feet, exceeding the route’s 200-foot limit.
“Why are they flying at 9 at night, when DCA is so busy?” Duffy asked about the accident. “They should be flying at 1 in the morning. That’s information we don’t have yet.”
Sean Duffy just TORCHED Jake Tapper after he tried to trap him with a trick question.
Tapper: "Is there any specific evidence that backs up President Trump's claims that DEI or FAA hiring practices are responsible in any way for this tragedy?"
Duffy: "I do know that in the last… pic.twitter.com/DfMugEkF9Q
— Gunther Eagleman™ (@GuntherEagleman) February 2, 2025
As the National Transportation Safety Board investigates the incident, Duffy, a former Wisconsin congressman and Fox News personality, directed blame toward Obama-era policies. He specifically targeted DEI initiatives, claiming they resulted in decreased success rates at the air traffic control academy.
“Our mission since the start has been safety,” Duffy replied. “And [some federal officials] have lost that mission. And we see, when you don’t focus on safety and you focus on social justice or the environment, bad things happen.”
Despite public anxiety following both the Reagan incident and Friday’s Med Jets Flight 056 crash in Philadelphia that claimed six lives, Duffy maintained that air travel remains secure. He assured that controllers would close airspace rather than risk unsafe conditions, emphasizing America’s aviation system as the world’s safest.
Duffy, who assumed his role just before Wednesday’s tragic events, promised a comprehensive evaluation of DEI practices within the FAA and Department of Transportation, noting that the FAA was unique among DOT agencies in implementing such initiatives.