As flight delays and cancellations continue piling up nationwide, former President Donald Trump has turned his frustration toward air traffic controllers, accusing them of failing to work without pay amid the ongoing government shutdown.
“All Air Traffic Controllers must get back to work, NOW!!! Anyone who doesn’t will be substantially ‘docked,'” Trump wrote in an extended message on Truth Social on Monday.
He praised those who remained on duty during the shutdown, promising, “For those Air Traffic Controllers who were GREAT PATRIOTS, and didn’t take ANY TIME OFF for the ‘Democrat Shutdown Hoax,’ I will be recommending a BONUS of $10,000 per person for distinguished service to our Country.”
He then sharply criticized those who missed work, adding, “For those that did nothing but complain, and took time off, even though everyone knew they would be paid, IN FULL, shortly into the future, I am NOT HAPPY WITH YOU.”
Trump accused some workers of failing to support the country during what he described as a “FAKE DEMOCRAT ATTACK” and threatened consequences, writing, “You will have a negative mark, at least in my mind, against your record. If you want to leave service in the near future, please do not hesitate to do so, with NO payment or severance of any kind! You will be quickly replaced by true Patriots, who will do a better job on the Brand New State of the Art Equipment…”
He concluded with another assurance of payment: “Again, to our great American Patriots, GOD BLESS YOU – I won’t be able to send your money fast enough! To all others, REPORT TO WORK IMMEDIATELY. GOD BLESS AMERICA!”
Last week, Secretary of Transportation Sean Duffy announced that the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) would reduce flights by 10% at 40 major airports due to staffing constraints. The list includes busy hubs such as Atlanta’s Hartsfield-Jackson, Los Angeles International, New York’s John F. Kennedy International, and Chicago Midway.
“My department has many responsibilities, but our number one job is safety. This isn’t about politics – it’s about assessing the data and alleviating building risk in the system as controllers continue to work without pay,” Duffy said in the announcement. “It’s safe to fly today, and it will continue to be safe to fly next week because of the proactive actions we are taking.”
On Nov. 5, the shutdown became the longest in U.S. history as congressional Republicans and Democrats remained locked in a stalemate over subsidies tied to the Affordable Care Act (ACA).
The extended closure has affected government workers across the country, including members of the military, and required emergency steps to maintain essential programs like the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), which provides food aid to low-income households.
With major travel holidays approaching, widespread flight disruptions threaten to become another costly impact of the political standoff.
“It’s only going to get worse,” Duffy warned during a CNN interview over the weekend. “I look to the two weeks before Thanksgiving, you’re going to see air travel be reduced to a trickle.”
He reiterated that the FAA’s mitigation strategies were rooted in safety, though he also blamed political opponents, saying, “I’m doing what I can in a mess that Democrats have put in my lap. And now I’m trying to keep the American people safe and keep airplanes flying.”
However, on Sunday, Nov. 9, movement toward a possible resolution emerged when eight Democratic senators crossed party lines to join Republicans in advancing a stopgap funding measure. The bill would need support from the full Senate and the House before it could take effect — and it does not include the ACA subsidies Democrats were seeking.
