The media is having a hard time dealing with Trump’s first few weeks in office. They aren’t taking it well at all.
And this Leftist media anchor was schooled live on air over this Trump policy.
Delta CEO Dismisses Concerns Over FAA Cuts Amid Rising Aviation Accidents
Delta Airlines CEO Ed Bastian has assured the public that recent budget reductions at the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) under President Donald Trump’s administration will not compromise airline safety. In a candid interview on CBS Mornings, Bastian addressed concerns following a string of recent aviation disasters.
His remarks come in the wake of a Delta Airlines flight overturning upon landing at Toronto-Pearson International Airport. The Minneapolis-to-Toronto flight carried 80 passengers, all of whom were evacuated safely. However, three individuals sustained critical injuries and were transported to local hospitals, according to the FAA.
This incident is the latest in a troubling series of aviation accidents, including fatal crashes in Washington, D.C., Philadelphia, and Nome, Alaska, over the past month. As public anxiety mounts, CBS Mornings co-anchor Gayle King pressed Bastian on whether Trump’s recent FAA staff reductions could be affecting safety.
“Do those cuts worry you, and do you think that impacts safety?” King asked, emphasizing growing public unease.
Bastian, however, dismissed any direct connection between the FAA reductions and airline safety concerns. “The cuts do not affect us, Gayle,” he responded, explaining that he has been in communication with the Secretary of Transportation.
“I understand that the cuts at this time are something that are raising questions, but the reality is there are over 50,000 people working at the FAA. And the cuts, I understand, were 300 people, and they were in non-critical safety functions,” Bastian clarified.
He further highlighted the administration’s commitment to enhancing air traffic control technology and modernizing U.S. aviation infrastructure. “The Trump administration has committed to investing deeply in terms of improving the overall technologies that are used in the air traffic control systems and modernizing the skies. They’ve committed to hiring additional controllers and investigators, and safety investigators. So no, I’m not concerned with that at all,” he stated.
CBS's Gayle King tries to blame Trump for the plane crashes, is debunked by Delta's CEO pic.twitter.com/P9m5SxYKOQ
— End Wokeness (@EndWokeness) February 19, 2025
Despite these reassurances, the administration’s cost-cutting initiatives—carried out through the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE)—have faced criticism from Democratic leaders. Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer took to X (formerly Twitter) to voice concerns, stating that Trump’s “massive layoffs at the FAA” were making air travel “less safe.”
However, Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy countered these claims, explaining that fewer than 400 employees were let go, all of whom had been hired within the past year. He stressed that no air traffic controllers or critical safety personnel were affected.
“Zero air traffic controllers and critical safety personnel were let go,” Duffy stated on X, pushing back against criticism from former Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg.
Mayor Pete failed for four years to address the air traffic controller shortage and upgrade our outdated, World War II-era air traffic control system. In less than four weeks, we have already begun the process and are engaging the smartest minds in the entire world.
— Secretary Sean Duffy (@SecDuffy) February 18, 2025
Here’s the… https://t.co/LCL1dswC2T
A Department of Transportation spokesperson echoed this sentiment in a statement to FOX Business, emphasizing that the FAA continues to hire and onboard air traffic controllers, safety professionals, mechanics, and other key personnel.
The Trump administration has also pledged a comprehensive review and modernization of air traffic control systems following a tragic midair collision between an Army helicopter and an American Airlines flight near Washington’s Ronald Reagan National Airport. The January 29 crash, which claimed 67 lives, was the deadliest aviation disaster in the U.S. since 2001.
Meanwhile, an analysis by Fox News Digital of federal aviation data has drawn comparisons between presidential terms. The data shows five fatal plane crashes in the first four weeks of Trump’s presidency versus ten during the same timeframe under President Biden.
As scrutiny over aviation safety intensifies, the debate over FAA funding and staffing cuts is likely to continue. However, for now, Delta’s CEO remains confident that recent reductions will not compromise passenger safety.
Stay tuned to The Federalist Wire.
