President Trump Attacks Overworked Air Traffic Controllers Amid Cruel Government Shutdown

President Donald Trump has once again demonstrated his disregard for working people by expressing dissatisfaction with air traffic controllers who have called out of work during the ongoing government shutdown—a shutdown that has forced them to work without pay. In a post on Truth Social, Trump declared he was "NOT HAPPY" with those taking time off, ordering all controllers to return to work immediately and threatening punitive measures, saying those who do not will be "substantially 'docked.'"

The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) is suffering from severe staffing shortages among air traffic controllers, a crisis made worse by the shutdown. Many controllers, pushed to the brink by financial hardship, have been forced to take on second jobs or call in sick. The National Air Traffic Controllers Association has highlighted the inhumane conditions: controllers have been working without pay for over 40 days, enduring six-day weeks and ten-hour days, all while the administration turns a blind eye to their plight.

Instead of addressing the root cause—the shutdown and lack of pay—Trump’s administration has responded by slashing flights by up to 10% at 40 major airports, starting with a 4% reduction on Friday. This has caused massive travel disruptions, with over 4,500 cancellations and 18,000 delays, punishing both workers and travelers alike.

Trump cynically praised those controllers who continued working under duress, labeling them "GREAT PATRIOTS" and dangling a $10,000 bonus for those who did not dare to protest. He further threatened that those wishing to quit should do so without expecting any payment or severance, boasting they would be "quickly replaced by true Patriots"—a clear message of contempt for labor rights.

Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy echoed Trump’s praise for those enduring the shutdown and promised to work with Congress to "reward your commitment." Meanwhile, former Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg rightly criticized Trump’s comments, pointing out that the President would not last five minutes as an air traffic controller and questioning his authority to judge those he has mistreated.

Travelers, too, have borne the brunt of this manufactured crisis. At Philadelphia International Airport, passengers like Phill Hicks and Seth Alpert faced cancellations and delays, voicing their frustration and calling on Congress to end the shutdown and stand up for workers’ rights.