Trump, Duffy Announce 2028 Air Traffic Control Overhaul, Criticize Buttigieg, Biden on $1.2 Trillion Spending

President Donald Trump and Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy have announced a plan to modernize the United States air traffic control system, following reports of outdated infrastructure and recent technical failures, including disruptions at Newark Liberty International Airport. The Department of Transportation's proposal includes building six new air traffic control centers, upgrading radar, software, hardware, and telecommunications networks at over 4,600 sites, and standardizing new technologies across all air traffic facilities. The plan aims to be completed within three to four years, with a target date of 2028, and calls for upfront congressional appropriations to expedite the process. Key components of the plan involve replacing 618 radars, installing 25,000 new radios and 475 new voice switches, and expanding the Surface Awareness Initiative to 200 airports. Additional technologies will be deployed in the Caribbean and Alaska to improve surveillance and weather information. A Government Accountability Office report indicated that of the 138 air traffic control systems, 51 were deemed unsustainable and 54 potentially unsustainable. The federal government currently pays $250 million annually to maintain the old equipment. Trump and Duffy criticized the previous administration, specifically former Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg and President Joe Biden, for not addressing warnings from government watchdogs about the failing air traffic control system. They also noted that none of the $1.2 trillion infrastructure spending was allocated to air traffic control upgrades. Trump made personal remarks about Buttigieg, referencing his commuting habits and marriage, while emphasizing the need for urgent action to address safety, efficiency, and the growing demands of the aviation sector.