Trump’s Transportation Secretary Announces Elon Musk’s DOGE Will ‘Plug In’ To ‘Upgrade Our Aviation System’
U.S. Secretary of Transportation Sean Duffy claimed the Elon Musk-led Department of Government Efficient (DOGE) will assist in “upgrading our aviation system.”
Duffy revealed the news Wednesday afternoon with a tweet.
“Big News,” he said. “Talked to the DOGE team. They are going to plug in to help upgrade our aviation system.”
Should that come to fruition, it would be the latest chapter in Musk’s complicated history with the aviation industry. As noted by Time, Musk and the FAA have been at odds since at least 2023. In a statement published in September 2024, the FAA accused Musk’s company SpaceX of using a launch control room for a mission that had not been approved by the administration. That, in addition to a number of other safety violations, led to the FAA fining SpaceX more than $600,000.
Musk objected to the fines, resulting in a heated back-and-forth between the parties. That all led to former FAA Administrator Michael Whitaker announcing the FAA would delay a scheduled SpaceX rocket launch.
Musk repeatedly called for Whitaker’s resignation and railed against the FAA. On Dec. 12, Musk got his wish when Whitaker announced his last day as administrator would be Jan. 20 — President Donald Trump’s first day in office.
The Trump administration also offered sweeping buyouts to employees at the FAA, including air traffic controllers — of whom the U.S. is suffering a shortage. In the wake of the recent air disaster over the Potomac River, Trump has pointed the finger at the prior administration for using DEI standards in hiring.
Former Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg hit back and accused the Trump administration of fomenting chaos at the FAA ahead of the deadly plane crash. “They can’t spin this away. The Trump administration contacted air traffic controllers, offering buyouts to leave their jobs. It’s a very easily proven fact,” Buttigieg wrote on X in a thread.
Online, news of Musk’s involvement at the FAA wasn’t received well by a large portion of social media users — particularly among Musk’s many critics.
—
