FAA chief to step down on the day Trump is inaugurated
During a meeting on Thursday morning, he informed his staff about his plans to depart.
TroibNews 
FAA Administrator Mike Whitaker announced that he will resign rather than continue in the role during a second Trump administration, giving President-elect Donald Trump the opportunity to select his successor.
In a letter to FAA employees, Whitaker confirmed his departure coinciding with Trump’s inauguration day and referred to the leadership role as an “honor of a lifetime.”
“The United States is the safest and most complex airspace in the world, and that is because of your commitment to the safety of the flying public,” Whitaker stated. “This has been the best and most challenging job of my career.”
Whitaker took over the agency's top position in October 2023 at a particularly difficult time, as the FAA dealt with a series of near-collisions in aviation and struggled to rebuild its depleted workforce of air traffic controllers. Additionally, a concerning incident where a door panel detached from a Boeing 737 MAX during flight heightened public anxiety about aviation safety.
Traditionally a non-partisan agency, the FAA had been without a Senate-confirmed leader for 18 months following President Joe Biden’s initial nominee, Phil Washington, whose confirmation faced significant hurdles due to objections from Senate Republicans regarding his limited aviation experience.
Whitaker, who previously served as the FAA's deputy administrator and held executive positions in the aviation sector, including at air taxi service Supernal and United Airlines, faced minimal opposition during his confirmation. He is well-regarded on Capitol Hill, with the Senate Commerce Committee unanimously advancing his nomination shortly after his October confirmation hearing.
At that time, lawmakers from both parties expressed concerns about the agency’s capacity to address growing safety incidents; Republicans criticized the Biden administration for these issues, while Democrats voiced frustrations over the prolonged absence of a permanent leader.
However, Whitaker has emerged as a stabilizing force for the FAA and has been recognized for addressing Boeing's ongoing manufacturing challenges. Lawmakers from both parties commend Whitaker, attributing a positive shift in aviation safety to his leadership.
On Wednesday, Sen. Tammy Duckworth, chair of the Senate aviation panel, praised Whitaker, noting that he “has been doing an excellent job.”
“There’s very bipartisan support for him,” she remarked to reporters during a call. “I hope that he does stay in place. He’s really working hard to keep the public safe, including important oversight of Boeing, and I've heard a lot of bipartisan appreciation for his efforts. So I hope that he does get to stay,” she added.
Alejandro Jose Martinez contributed to this report for TROIB News
In a letter to FAA employees, Whitaker confirmed his departure coinciding with Trump’s inauguration day and referred to the leadership role as an “honor of a lifetime.”
“The United States is the safest and most complex airspace in the world, and that is because of your commitment to the safety of the flying public,” Whitaker stated. “This has been the best and most challenging job of my career.”
Whitaker took over the agency's top position in October 2023 at a particularly difficult time, as the FAA dealt with a series of near-collisions in aviation and struggled to rebuild its depleted workforce of air traffic controllers. Additionally, a concerning incident where a door panel detached from a Boeing 737 MAX during flight heightened public anxiety about aviation safety.
Traditionally a non-partisan agency, the FAA had been without a Senate-confirmed leader for 18 months following President Joe Biden’s initial nominee, Phil Washington, whose confirmation faced significant hurdles due to objections from Senate Republicans regarding his limited aviation experience.
Whitaker, who previously served as the FAA's deputy administrator and held executive positions in the aviation sector, including at air taxi service Supernal and United Airlines, faced minimal opposition during his confirmation. He is well-regarded on Capitol Hill, with the Senate Commerce Committee unanimously advancing his nomination shortly after his October confirmation hearing.
At that time, lawmakers from both parties expressed concerns about the agency’s capacity to address growing safety incidents; Republicans criticized the Biden administration for these issues, while Democrats voiced frustrations over the prolonged absence of a permanent leader.
However, Whitaker has emerged as a stabilizing force for the FAA and has been recognized for addressing Boeing's ongoing manufacturing challenges. Lawmakers from both parties commend Whitaker, attributing a positive shift in aviation safety to his leadership.
On Wednesday, Sen. Tammy Duckworth, chair of the Senate aviation panel, praised Whitaker, noting that he “has been doing an excellent job.”
“There’s very bipartisan support for him,” she remarked to reporters during a call. “I hope that he does stay in place. He’s really working hard to keep the public safe, including important oversight of Boeing, and I've heard a lot of bipartisan appreciation for his efforts. So I hope that he does get to stay,” she added.
Alejandro Jose Martinez contributed to this report for TROIB News
