A heated debate erupted on social media between Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy and former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton. The dispute centered on plans for upgrading the U.S. air traffic control system. Accusations of safety breaches and mismanagement flew between the officials.
Duffy announced on X Wednesday, February 5, that the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) would assist in modernizing the aviation system. “Big News – Talked to the DOGE team. They are going to plug in to help upgrade our aviation system,” Duffy stated, referencing the newly formed agency responsible for enhancing federal operations.
Clinton, 77, criticized the decision and queried DOGE’s qualifications on X, writing, “Most of them aren’t old enough to rent a car. And you’re going to let them mess with airline safety that’s already deteriorated on your watch?”
Duffy, 53, responded to the 2016 presidential candidate’s criticism: “Madam Secretary, with all due respect, ‘experienced’ Washington bureaucrats are the reason our nation’s infrastructure is crumbling. You need to sit this one out.”
Clinton ratcheted up the disagreement on Thursday, February 6, noting that US airlines had experienced 16 years without fatal crashes before two recent crashes. She blamed the MAGA administration for firing the FAA chief, dismantling the Aviation Security Advisory Committee, and threatening air traffic controllers with layoffs. “Hope your unvetted 22-year-olds fix things fast,” she added.
Duffy defended against Clinton’s accusations, suggesting that her sudden interest in aviation safety was a distraction from DOGE’s efforts to uncover alleged financial misconduct involving her family. He pointed to claims that USAID, the federal agency responsible for foreign aid, had diverted taxpayer money to initiatives that ultimately benefited entities related to the Clinton Foundation and its global projects. Duffy accused Clinton of distorting facts to safeguard her family’s reputation, highlighting that the FAA administrator had announced his resignation over a month before Trump took office and that air traffic controllers had always been exempt from Trump’s civil service buyouts, contradicting her claims.
Mike Whitaker, who was unanimously confirmed as the FAA administrator in October 2023 during the Biden administration, left his five-year term prematurely on January 20, the day Trump assumed office. For the next ten days, the FAA did not reveal who was serving as the acting leader of the agency.
After the airplane crash in Washington DC, President Trump named Christopher Rocheleau as acting commissioner of the FAA.
The aviation safety debate had heated up after an outage of the Federal Aviation Administration’s (FAA) main warning system for pilots on Saturday, February 1. A backup system was activated until the primary system was fixed. This incident happened three days after a deadly collision near Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport between American Eagle Flight 5342 and a Black Hawk helicopter, which resulted in 67 fatalities. Duffy addressed the media about the collision at a press conference on January 30, 2025.
DOGE leader Elon Musk confirmed his team’s commitment to implementing “rapid safety upgrades to the air traffic control system” at an indoor presidential inauguration parade event in Washington on January 20, 2025. The DOGE team, composed of members aged 19 to 24, has been tasked with reviewing and enhancing government department efficiency.
Duffy also sharply criticized the Biden administration for prioritizing funds toward climate initiatives instead of addressing the worsening state of the air traffic control system. He pledged his commitment to restoring the department’s primary mission of safety through advanced technology in transportation and infrastructure. According to Duffy, Clinton and her political allies had mismanaged these issues during their tenure, leaving the system desperately in need of reform.
At the National Prayer Breakfast at the U.S. Capitol, President Trump addressed the growing concerns over aviation safety, indicating his administration’s intent to press forward with a comprehensive overhaul of the air traffic control system. He emphasized that these changes would be a top priority and would be implemented in close collaboration with Congress. This initiative is part of his administration’s broader push to modernize the country’s vital transportation infrastructure by leveraging advanced technology and eliminating inefficiencies.
Despite Clinton’s doubts about their expertise, DOGE, under Elon Musk’s leadership, plans to play a critical role in executing these upgrades. The young team has already started laying the groundwork for improvements, with Musk emphasizing that they are moving swiftly to implement safety enhancements across the system.
