Pete Buttigieg is under fire after it was revealed that a critical Pentagon-to-airport hotline at Washington National Airport was inoperable, threatening his legacy at the Department of Transportation. The hotline failure may have contributed to the January collision that killed 67 people. Only on May 1, 2025, were Trump administration officials made aware of the issue. Buttigieg previously blamed the Trump administration for aviation safety issues.
Critical Failure at Washington National
A scandal has erupted around former Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg following revelations that a vital hotline connecting the Pentagon to Washington National Airport’s air traffic control tower has been inoperative since March 2022. This critical communication system, essential for coordinating military and civilian air traffic in the busy airspace around the nation’s capital, remained down for more than two years without the Federal Aviation Administration’s knowledge. The FAA only discovered the outage on May 1 after an incident involving an Army helicopter highlighted the system failure.
The consequences of this oversight have proven deadly. The hotline’s failure allegedly contributed to a catastrophic collision in January that claimed 67 lives. What makes this revelation particularly damaging for Buttigieg is that it occurred squarely during his watch as Transportation Secretary, despite his previous attempts to shift blame for aviation safety issues to the Trump administration. The Pentagon has now halted flights in affected corridors until repairs can be completed.
This was during the Biden/Obama years, when all they cared about was the race/gender of employees. The real significance of this goes way beyond any single massive accident with fatalities! https://t.co/tvUEtjLeMO
— Christopher G. Adamo (@CGAdamo) May 14, 2025
Trump and Current Administration Response
President Donald Trump wasted no time addressing the air traffic control crisis, taking to Truth Social to place responsibility squarely on Buttigieg and the Biden administration. Trump’s criticism focused on Buttigieg’s leadership at the Department of Transportation, characterizing him as “a total novice and political hack” while promising, “I WILL FIX IT!!!” This sharp rebuke comes amid multiple air traffic control failures across the country, particularly at Newark Liberty International Airport, where staffing shortages and equipment issues have led to widespread flight cancellations and delays.
“Air traffic problems caused by the incompetent Biden Administration, as headed by, in this case, a total novice and political hack, Pete B. I WILL FIX IT!!!” – Donald Trump
Current Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy has been equally critical of his predecessor, suggesting Buttigieg prioritized political initiatives over essential aviation infrastructure. Duffy has announced a Delay Reduction Meeting to address the ongoing crisis at Newark and other airports. The FAA is now accelerating staffing efforts and technology upgrades, including plans to hire at least 2,000 controllers this year through a streamlined process and offering incentives to retain experienced controllers.
The Deputy FAA Air Traffic Control chief said the issue came to light after Reagan National had to wave off two incoming flights. https://t.co/bYofwyYaAw
— Newsweek (@Newsweek) May 14, 2025
Systemic Issues in Air Traffic Control
The air traffic control crisis extends beyond Washington National to the entire aviation system. Newark Liberty International Airport has become ground zero for these issues, with significant flight disruptions beginning on April 28, when air traffic controllers at Philadelphia’s TRACON lost contact for approximately 30 seconds. New Jersey Governor Phil Murphy has pointed to chronic underinvestment and outdated technology as root causes of what he described as a “frail air traffic control system.” The combination of aging equipment, controller shortages, and runway closures has created a perfect storm of aviation delays.
“Celebrating Transit Equity Day. Chairing the Equity Council. Stopping racist roads. Building bike paths. Funding studies on gender non-conforming people. This is the c*** Pete Buttigieg focused on instead of fixing the problems with Newark and our entire air traffic control system.” – Sean Duffy
Critics argue that Buttigieg’s tenure as Transportation Secretary produced few substantive improvements to America’s aviation infrastructure. Instead, they suggest his focus on politically appealing initiatives like transit equity and environmental concerns came at the expense of addressing critical safety and operational issues. These accusations have gained traction as the full scope of the failures at Washington National and other airports has come to light, raising serious questions about leadership and accountability in our nation’s transportation system.