The Left are already trying to pick their candidates for 2028. But this one may be in trouble before voting even begins.
And a Trump official has revealed a giant skeleton in the closet of this top Democratic presidential candidate.
In a recent episode of “Pod Force One,” Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy sharply criticized the previous administration’s handling of air traffic controller hiring, alleging it created significant hurdles for the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) Academy in Oklahoma City. Duffy claimed that under former Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg, the bar for “well-qualified” candidates on the Air Traffic Skills Assessment (ATSA) exam was dropped from 85% to 80% to achieve “best qualified” status.
This change, Duffy argued, led to a surge in dropouts at the academy. “Well, what happened was, they had a substantial washout rate, 30%-plus,” he told the New York Post’s Miranda Devine, “because they couldn’t do the work.”
The ATSA exam remains a key benchmark, with scores above 85% marking candidates as “well-qualified” and 90% or higher as “best-qualified” for FAA controller certification. Duffy also pointed to lengthy delays in training, noting that a candidate scoring, say, 82% might wait up to two years for an academy slot. “If you’re 22 years old, you’re gonna go find a different job. You’re not gonna stick around,” he said.
Buttigieg’s Rebuttal
A spokesperson for Buttigieg pushed back, telling the New York Post, “If he had any proof to back up what he said, it seems like they’d provide it.”
Buttigieg himself took to X on February 2 to refute the allegations, writing, “To be abundantly clear: we did not change the rigorous standard for becoming a certified air traffic controller. Those claiming otherwise are mistaken or lying. We did increase funding & training, and grew the ATC workforce after years of declining numbers, including under Trump.”
Duffy admitted that pinpointing the right candidates is challenging, calling the ATSA exam “the best indicator” available but adding, “they haven’t really figured out the best test to do this.”
He highlighted the unpredictable aptitude for the role, saying, “It’s a tough job. And by the way, it’s really hard to figure out who’s going to be good at it.”
“You could get a baker and a candlestick maker that are great at it, and someone else with a math degree that just doesn’t figure it out.”
The issue of controller shortages took center stage after a devastating January 29 midair collision near Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport, where a Black Hawk helicopter and a regional jet crashed, claiming 67 lives.
The tragedy exposed staffing gaps that have plagued the FAA for nearly three decades. In response, Duffy has rolled out bold recruitment initiatives to fast-track high-scoring candidates into training.
Streamlining the Recruitment Pipeline
“We’re getting kids, young people, into the academy much faster,” Duffy stated. “So in two months after you take the entrance exam, we’re getting you into the academy.”
“And what we’re doing is, if you’re at 98% on that test [or] 94 [%], you are going to take the top slots as slots become available. So we’re getting the best scores in the academy first.”
This strategy has lowered dropout rates, allowing more trainees to advance to control towers. In less busy airspace, graduates can achieve full certification in as little as one year.
The FAA has set a target of hiring 8,900 new controllers by the end of 2028. Duffy remains optimistic, stating, “It’s going to take us time to see the fruits of our hard labor right now, but we’re well on our way to filling the gaps in air traffic control.”
Stay tuned to The Federalist Wire.
