Transportation Chief Blasts 'Mayor Pete' Over Empty Offices, FAA Crisis

Paul Riverbank, 2/19/2025A contentious exchange between Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy and predecessor Pete Buttigieg has exposed deep-seated issues in America's air traffic control modernization efforts. The dispute, centered on recent personnel changes and system upgrades, highlights the challenges of balancing infrastructure innovation with safety priorities.

The controversy erupted when Buttigieg questioned recent personnel changes at the Federal Aviation Administration, prompting Duffy to respond with a comprehensive takedown of the former secretary's four-year term. "Mayor Pete failed for four years to address the air traffic controller shortage and upgrade our outdated, World War II-era air traffic control system," Duffy declared on social media.

The current transportation chief — who has been in office for less than a month — outlined several specific criticisms of Buttigieg's management style and priorities. According to Duffy, the department under previous leadership had become detached from its core mission, with "over 90% of the workforce under his leadership working from home — including him. The building was empty!"

In addressing recent staffing changes that sparked the initial controversy, Duffy provided specific numbers to counter growing concerns. "The FAA alone has a staggering 45,000 employees. Less than 400 were let go, and they were all probationary, meaning they had been hired less than a year ago," he explained, emphasizing that "zero air traffic controllers and critical safety personnel were let go."

The Trump administration's approach to modernizing the system has taken an unexpected turn — bringing in expertise from the private sector. In a notable development, SpaceX engineers have been invited to assess the current air traffic control infrastructure. This move garnered support from Elon Musk himself, who stated, "The safety of air travel is a non-partisan matter. SpaceX engineers will help make air travel safer."

Buttigieg, refusing to let the criticisms go unanswered, fired back at his successor. "At least one of the claims here (concerning telework rates) is demonstrably false, so forgive us for seeking more specifics on the rest," he responded, questioning whether any of the dismissed personnel were indeed crucial to safety operations.

The exchange has highlighted deeper issues within the Department of Transportation — particularly the challenge of modernizing an aging air traffic control system while maintaining uncompromising safety standards. Duffy accused his predecessor of using the department "as a slush fund for the green new scam and environmental justice nonsense" rather than focusing on core infrastructure needs.

As this public disagreement unfolds, the transportation department faces the complex task of implementing significant system upgrades while maintaining continuous operations. The involvement of SpaceX represents a novel approach to addressing these challenges — bringing private sector innovation to bear on public infrastructure problems.

For his part, Duffy has promised a thorough examination of his predecessor's tenure: "When we finally get a full accounting of his mismanagement, I look forward to hearing from him." The current secretary has pledged not to rest until the Department of Transportation returns to what he describes as its fundamental mission of "efficiency and safety."

In a striking exchange that highlights the growing tensions over America's air traffic control system, Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy has launched a blistering critique of his predecessor Pete Buttigieg's tenure — sparking a heated debate about the management and future of the nation's aviation infrastructure.The controversy erupted when Buttigieg questioned recent personnel changes at the Federal Aviation Administration, prompting Duffy to respond with a comprehensive takedown of the former secretary's four-year term. "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," Duffy declared on social media.The current transportation chief — who has been in office for less than a month — outlined several specific criticisms of Buttigieg's management style and priorities. According to Duffy, the department under previous leadership had become detached from its core mission, with "over 90% of the workforce under his leadership working from home — including him. The building was empty!"In addressing recent staffing changes that sparked the initial controversy, Duffy provided specific numbers to counter growing concerns. "The FAA alone has a staggering 45,000 employees. Less than 400 were let go, and they were all probationary, meaning they had been hired less than a year ago," he explained, emphasizing that "zero air traffic controllers and critical safety personnel were let go."The Trump administration's approach to modernizing the system has taken an unexpected turn — bringing in expertise from the private sector. In a notable development, SpaceX engineers have been invited to assess the current air traffic control infrastructure. This move garnered support from Elon Musk himself, who stated, "The safety of air travel is a non-partisan matter. SpaceX engineers will help make air travel safer."Buttigieg, refusing to let the criticisms go unanswered, fired back at his successor. "At least one of the claims here (concerning telework rates) is demonstrably false, so forgive us for seeking more specifics on the rest," he responded, questioning whether any of the dismissed personnel were indeed crucial to safety operations.The exchange has highlighted deeper issues within the Department of Transportation — particularly the challenge of modernizing an aging air traffic control system while maintaining uncompromising safety standards. Duffy accused his predecessor of using the department "as a slush fund for the green new scam and environmental justice nonsense" rather than focusing on core infrastructure needs.As this public disagreement unfolds, the transportation department faces the complex task of implementing significant system upgrades while maintaining continuous operations. The involvement of SpaceX represents a novel approach to addressing these challenges — bringing private sector innovation to bear on public infrastructure problems.For his part, Duffy has promised a thorough examination of his predecessor's tenure: "When we finally get a full accounting of his mismanagement, I look forward to hearing from him." The current secretary has pledged not to rest until the Department of Transportation returns to what he describes as its fundamental mission of "efficiency and safety."