Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy wasted no time setting the record straight after former Secretary Pete Buttigieg took to social media questioning the recent firings at the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA). Buttigieg, who oversaw the Department of Transportation for four years under President Biden, suggested that the Trump administration’s personnel decisions could be compromising aviation safety.
Duffy responded swiftly and decisively, not only explaining the firings but also turning the conversation back on Buttigieg’s record, which he characterized as a period of mismanagement and misplaced priorities.
“Mayor Pete failed for four years to address the air traffic controller shortage and upgrade our outdated, World War II-era air traffic control system,” Duffy wrote. “In less than four weeks, we have already begun the process and are engaging the smartest minds in the entire world.”
Duffy then broke down the facts: The FAA employs approximately 45,000 people, and fewer than 400 were let go—all of whom were probationary employees with less than a year on the job. Importantly, he clarified that not a single air traffic controller or critical safety personnel was affected by the cuts.
Mayor Pete failed for four years to address the air traffic controller shortage and upgrade our outdated, World War II-era air traffic control system.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.
Here’s the… https://t.co/LCL1dswC2T
— Secretary Sean Duffy (@SecDuffy) February 18, 2025
This directly undercut Buttigieg’s implication that the firings were reckless or damaging to aviation safety.
Duffy didn’t stop there. He went on to highlight what he sees as Buttigieg’s real legacy: turning the Department of Transportation (DOT) into a political playground rather than focusing on its core mission.
“Mayor Pete chose to use this amazing department—that is so critical to America’s success—as a slush fund for the green new scam and environmental justice nonsense,” Duffy charged.
He also took aim at the remote work policies that defined Buttigieg’s leadership, revealing that over 90% of DOT employees were working from home—including Buttigieg himself. “The building was empty!” he added.
Duffy made it clear that under his watch, the DOT will be refocused on efficiency and safety rather than political agendas. “When we finally get a full accounting of his mismanagement, I look forward to hearing from him,” he wrote, signaling that a deeper investigation into Buttigieg’s tenure may be on the horizon.
But in the meantime, Duffy is making his priorities clear: “I will not rest until I return the Department of Transportation and its incredible employees to its mission of efficiency and safety.”
