Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy did not take kindly to Pete Buttigieg’s thinly veiled accusations regarding changes within the FAA.
The Biden-area Transportation Secretary Buttigieg began the war of words when he slammed Duffy on X and questioned the alleged culling of FAA personnel.
“The flying public needs answers. How many FAA personnel were just fired? What positions? And why?” Buttigieg demanded.
Duffy blasted “Mayor Pete” for failing to address critical shortages and outdated technology for four years and set the record straight about who was fired within the agency.
“Here’s the truth: the FAA alone has a staggering 45,000 employees,” Duffy continued. “Less than 400 were let go, and they were all probationary, meaning they had been hired less than a year ago. Zero air traffic controllers and critical safety personnel were let go.
Mayor Pete failed for four years to address the air traffic controller shortage and upgrade our outdated, World War II-era air traffic control system. In less than four weeks, we have already begun the process and are engaging the smartest minds in the entire world.
Here’s the… https://t.co/LCL1dswC2T
— Secretary Sean Duffy (@SecDuffy) February 18, 2025
“Mayor Pete chose to use this amazing department—that is so critical to America’s success—as a slush fund for the green new scam and environmental justice nonsense. Not to mention that over 90% of the workforce under his leadership were working from home – including him. The building was empty!
“When we finally get a full accounting of his mismanagement, I look forward to hearing from him,” Duffy charged.
Yes! But Duffy wasn’t done.
“In the meantime, I will not rest until I return the Department of Transportation and its incredible employees to its mission of efficiency and safety,” Duffy concluded.
Buttigieg fired back by attempting to ignite fear and suspicion.
“At least one of the claims here (concerning telework rates) is demonstrably false, so forgive us for seeking more specifics on the rest,” Buttigieg blasted. “Is the Secretary claiming, and will he show, that none of the hundreds of FAA personnel he just fired were important to safety?”
CNN voice-of-reason Scott Jennings addressed the allegations launched from Buttigieg and fellow Dems, claiming “[Zero] air traffic controllers and critical safety personnel were let go.”
Scott Jennings continues to lay down the facts HARD on CNN for the entire left to hear.
“There are 45,000 employees at the FAA. We’re talking about fewer than 400 people and he [Sec Sean Duffy] says 0 air traffic controllers and critical safety personnel were let go.” pic.twitter.com/00qORQqybS
— Nick Adams (@NickAdamsinUSA) February 18, 2025
In response to the X battle between Buttigieg and Duffy, X account MAZE dug up a 2023 clip of major safety issues allegedly being ignored under Buttigieg’s watch:
Bookmark this. It clearly lays out the problems with the aviation system in early 2023, problems that Buttigieg ignored. Terrible indictment of Pete. pic.twitter.com/NFEs9gEQNy
— MAZE (@mazemoore) February 18, 2025
The Buttigieg beatdown continued as well as pushback to bizarre and desperate claims that the Trump administration was responsible for a recent plane crash in Toronto, CANADA.
We have the dumbest political class on the entire planet, do we. The FAA does not have jurisdiction in Toronto, Canada. Not yet, anyway. https://t.co/dSzzOfIi0e
— Ken Gardner (@KenGardner11) February 17, 2025
Look, I will concede that if the FAA let that plane leave Minneapolis upside down that’s clearly on the FAA and a pretty bad look for Duffy. We’ll have to wait and see.
— Casey Mattox (@CaseyMattox_) February 17, 2025
None. This is per Grok:
Air traffic controllers at the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) were explicitly exempt from the federal job cuts initiated by the Trump administration. This exemption was part of a broader policy where public safety roles, including air traffic…
— Mícheál MacRodáin (@sfdoc110) February 17, 2025
This was your FAA nominee. You’re not a serious person.pic.twitter.com/1HllXYaarz
— Still Boneless (@still_boneless) February 17, 2025
Amazing that you, a failed small-town mayor got promoted to run the transportation department for the United States because you checked some DEI boxes and now you are criticizing people who are trying to fix the mess that you made.
And they’ve been in there for a couple weeks.
— $8 Bartemy (@BartemyS) February 17, 2025
“Amazing” indeed.
