Elon Musk urges retired air traffic controllers to come back
Tech billionaire Elon Musk is urging retired air traffic controllers to come back to the workforce amid the nationwide shortage of workers.
“There is a shortage of top notch air traffic controllers. If you have retired, but are open to returning to work, please consider doing so,” Musk said in a Thursday post on X, the social media platform he owns.
Earlier this month, President Trump’s administration began firing hundreds of workers at the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), including personnel brought on for the FAA radar as well as landing and navigational aid maintenance.
Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy defended the terminations, noting that air traffic controllers were not cut in the process. Duffy said less than 400 workers were ousted from the FAA as part of the administration’s push to downsize the federal government, slash costs and improve efficiency.
These cuts came just weeks after an American Airlines plane collided with a Black Hawk helicopter right before landing at the Reagan Washington National Airport. The crash killed all 67 people and was one of the worst U.S. aviation crashes in the last 20 years.
Duffy said during an interview in early February that he planned to offer air traffic controllers an option to keep working past 56, the mandatory retirement age, in an effort to bolster safety and retain talent.
“I’m going to make an offer to air traffic controllers to let them stay longer. That’s my authority. I can offer them the chance to stay longer, past the mandatory retirement age of 56, pay them more, give them a bonus, keep them on the job, make the system safer, alleviate the pressure on the controllers,” Duffy said on Fox News. “They will make more money.”
Airports are still understaffed with air traffic controllers, and the FAA is looking to fill some 3,000 spots, according to the agency’s data.
Trump said he would discuss potential legislation with lawmakers that would revamp and improve the country’s air safety systems.
“I think that’s going to be used for good,” Trump said during a National Prayer Breakfast earlier this month. “We’re going to do a great computerized system for our control towers. Brand new, not pieced together, obsolete.”
“We spent billions and billions of dollars trying to renovate an old broken system instead of just saying, ‘Let’s cut it loose, and let’s spend less money and build a great system,’” he added.
-
Elon Musk to retired air traffic controllers: Please come back to work
Musk wants retired air traffic controllers to return to their jobs amid a shortage of qualified professionals.CBS News - 2h -
Elon Musk Threatens FBI Agents and Air Traffic Controllers With Forced Resignation if They Don't Respond to an Email
Employees throughout the federal government have until 11:59 pm ET Monday to detail five things they accomplished in the last week.Wired - 4d -
Musk's Starlink in line for deal with FAA for air traffic control upgrade
The FAA is testing Elon Musk's Starlink satellite internet service. That could raise a possible conflict of interest, experts say.CBS News - 22h -
Some Agencies Urge Staff Not to Comply With Elon Musk’s Performance Email
The F.B.I. director, Kash Patel, the director of national intelligence, Tulsi Gabbard, and others told employees not to respond to a directive from Mr. Musk to summarize their accomplishments.The New York Times - 3d -
Column: Donald Trump and Elon Musk are coming for your summer vacation
The new administration's mass reduction of the federal workforce will endanger the relatively few and short holidays Americans take. That's not 'efficient.' It's heartless.Los Angeles Times - 1d -
Elon Musk says he's sending Starlink tech to FAA while saying, without evidence, that air safety is 'at risk'
Executives at major airlines told CNBC on Thursday that they do not see the FAA infrastructure as an immediate safety risk.CNBC - 59m -
How Federal Employees Are Fighting Back Against Elon Musk
Some civil servants are using whatever levers they have to resist the orders of the world’s richest man, both in public and behind closed doors.The New York Times - 5d -
Eye Opener: President Trump backs Elon Musk's ultimatum for federal workers
More confusion as President Trump backs Elon Musk's ultimatum for federal workers to list their achievements or face the consequences. Also, the U.S. sides with Russia at the U.N. as France's ...CBS News - 2d -
What Elon Musk Got Wrong About Why Federal Retirement Is Still Managed out of a Limestone Mine
The massive underground facility, which has been used to store archives since the 1960s, remains a crucial but convoluted hub for US government records.Wired - 5d
More from The Hill
-
Flavor Flav objects after getting namechecked in Congress: 'Don't drag me into negative politics'
Flavor Flav is attempting to stop the clock when it comes to lawmakers namechecking him in Congress. "I voted against the budget yesterday, not because I'm not for decreasing taxes, but because [of ...The Hill - 14m -
Duffy announces 'supercharge' of air traffic controller hiring amid staff shortage
Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy said Thursday he would implement plans to create a “supercharge” in air traffic controller staffing amid shortages. “This staffing shortage has been a known ...The Hill - 25m -
Johnson says approach to IRA repeal will be 'between a scalpel and a sledgehammer'
Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) indicated this week that his approach to repealing the Democrats’ climate, tax, infrastructure and health care bill will be neither delicate and precise nor a total ...The Hill - 38m -
HHS weighs rescinding Moderna bird flu vaccine contract
The Trump administration confirmed it is reevaluating a $590 million human bird flu vaccine contract awarded to Moderna in the waning days of the Biden administration. “While it is crucial that ...The Hill - 42m -
Live updates: Trump holds press conference with British PM Starmer
British Prime Minister Keir Starmer and President Trump are holding a joint press conference at the White House on Thursday as European allies scramble to respond to the president’s approach to ...The Hill - 45m
More in Politics
-
Flavor Flav objects after getting namechecked in Congress: 'Don't drag me into negative politics'
Flavor Flav is attempting to stop the clock when it comes to lawmakers namechecking him in Congress. "I voted against the budget yesterday, not because I'm not for decreasing taxes, but because [of ...The Hill - 14m -
Trump says peace negotiations between Ukraine and Russia are moving 'pretty rapidly'
During a press conference with the prime minister of the United Kingdom, President Trump said peace negotiations between Russia and Ukraine are ongoing and moving "pretty rapidly" as Ukrainian ...NBC News - 22m -
Duffy announces 'supercharge' of air traffic controller hiring amid staff shortage
Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy said Thursday he would implement plans to create a “supercharge” in air traffic controller staffing amid shortages. “This staffing shortage has been a known ...The Hill - 25m -
Johnson says approach to IRA repeal will be 'between a scalpel and a sledgehammer'
Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) indicated this week that his approach to repealing the Democrats’ climate, tax, infrastructure and health care bill will be neither delicate and precise nor a total ...The Hill - 38m -
HHS weighs rescinding Moderna bird flu vaccine contract
The Trump administration confirmed it is reevaluating a $590 million human bird flu vaccine contract awarded to Moderna in the waning days of the Biden administration. “While it is crucial that ...The Hill - 42m