Trump Removes Alvin Brown, First Black Member of Five-Person NTSB, Amid Aviation Safety Concerns

The Trump administration has removed Alvin Brown, the Biden-appointed vice chair of the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB), a position he held since December 2024. Brown, who joined the NTSB in March 2024 for a five-year term, was the first Black mayor of Jacksonville, Florida, and had previously served as a senior advisor for Community Infrastructure Opportunities at the U.S. Department of Transportation. He was also the only Black member on the five-person board. The White House did not provide a specific reason for Brown's dismissal. The removal comes amidst heightened aviation concerns in the U.S., including a shortage of air traffic controllers, flight delays, and outdated Federal Aviation Administration technology. Recent incidents have highlighted issues with air travel safety, notably a midair collision in January between an Army Black Hawk helicopter and a Bombardier CRJ700, resulting in 67 deaths, and a temporary loss of communication with incoming flights at Newark Liberty International Airport in late April due to a damaged copper wire.