WASHINGTON – Elon Musk’s government downsizing team, known as DOGE, has canceled its planned visit to the Federal Aviation Administration’s (FAA) Air Traffic Control command center in Warrenton, Virginia, as controversy over the administration’s air traffic reform efforts intensifies.
Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy, who initially announced the visit on social media, confirmed the cancellation late Sunday, citing “unresolved logistical concerns.” The visit was intended to provide DOGE personnel with a firsthand look at the FAA’s air traffic management systems amid the Trump administration’s push to modernize and streamline the agency.
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The decision follows backlash from aviation unions and lawmakers, who have criticized recent federal workforce reductions, including the firing of hundreds of probationary FAA employees. The Professional Aviation Safety Specialists union warned that the administration’s cuts could exacerbate staffing shortages and compromise aviation safety.
The White House recently denied air traffic controllers and TSA security officers access to a voluntary government buyout program, a move that has sparked concerns over workforce stability in a sector already grappling with a 10% staffing decline since 2012.
Musk, CEO of Tesla (TSLA.O) and SpaceX, responded to the cancellation on X, formerly Twitter, stating that “air travel safety should be a non-partisan issue” and reaffirming SpaceX engineers’ commitment to enhancing aviation systems. His involvement in FAA airspace reform has drawn scrutiny, with Senate Commerce Committee Chair Maria Cantwell calling for his exclusion due to SpaceX’s prior regulatory conflicts with the FAA.
Meanwhile, Duffy reiterated the administration’s goal of implementing the “most innovative, technologically advanced air traffic control system” in the world. The transportation secretary is expected to visit the FAA Academy in Oklahoma later this week to discuss plans for expanding air traffic controller training and recruitment.
The FAA, which handles 45,000 flights daily, has yet to comment on the cancellation.
