FAA Staffing Not Seen As Priority By Trump Administration

Staffing was not normal yesterday night when a plane and helicopter collided in the crowded airspace of Ronald Reagan International Airport. The FAA was without an acting director and with a federal executive order to freeze all new hiring. In fact, there was also an active attempt to liquidate talented individuals acquired through DEI initiatives.

The shortage was acute by the time these two aircraft met in space. An overburdened operator was tasked with military and civilian channels for air to tower communication, likely leading to a delay in exchanges. The job of two became destined for one under these conditions per the NYT.

Ultimately, Donald Trump chose to deflect from the downstream consequences of the hiring freeze and introduce some sort of anti-DEI initiative with an executive order. Thus, we will likely have to deal with dangerous skies and institutionalized racism.