Hakeem Jeffries calls out Trump while addressing Newark Airport chaos
House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries criticized President Donald Trump during a discussion about the recent chaos at Newark Liberty International Airport, stating that the administration has “decimated the FAA.”
Speaking at a press conference on Monday, Jeffries addressed a reporter’s question regarding the delays at Newark Airport. “It’s certainly something that we’re all interested in investigating, especially in terms of the American people’s ability to travel efficiently,” the Democrat began before shifting his focus to Trump.
“We are aware that the Trump administration has severely weakened the FAA in various ways, and they have been doing so since the beginning,” he added. “They are dismantling the federal government.”
Jeffries went on to say that the Trump administration is “breaking the FAA,” and while it remains to be seen if the specific situation at Newark Airport is related to this, he expects the Transportation and Infrastructure Committee to look into the matter and provide answers to rectify the situation.
The press conference followed days of significant delays and cancellations at Newark Airport. Last Thursday, over 500 flights were delayed and at least 200 were canceled, resulting in chaos throughout the weekend. As of Monday afternoon, 172 flights had been delayed, and 76 had been canceled.
Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy attributed the situation to outdated technology in a social media post on Friday. “The technology we are using is outdated, causing the outages and delays at Newark,” Duffy stated.
The discussion sheds light on the challenges faced by travelers due to the disruptions at Newark Airport and the broader issues within the FAA. It underscores the need for modernization and improvements in infrastructure to ensure smooth and efficient air travel for all passengers.
The ongoing debate between Jeffries and Trump highlights the differing perspectives on the state of the FAA and the actions needed to address the current challenges facing the aviation industry.
