Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy didn't hold back this weekend, taking aim at his predecessor Pete Buttigieg for what he calls a failure to upgrade the nation's air traffic control towers. In a series of posts on X, Duffy accused Buttigieg of sitting on "mountains of cash" while controllers worked in crumbling facilities.
"PETE BUTTIGIEG SAT ON MOUNTAINS OF CASH WHILE AIR TRAFFIC CONTROLLERS WORKED IN DECAYING TOWERS," Duffy wrote, sharing a video that showed leaky ceilings and flooded floors in control towers. The video also outlined the Department of Transportation's new plan to address the issue: building eight new towers and upgrading 41 existing ones across 27 states, with a budget of over $1 billion. "America is Building Again!" Duffy declared.
Duffy didn't stop there. He also accused Buttigieg of moving "like a sloth" during his tenure, contrasting it with the Trump administration's pace of change. "After four years of a do-nothing DOT Secretary, America is back," he said in another post.
Earlier, Duffy had criticized Buttigieg for failing to upgrade the Notice To Air Mission/Airmen (NOTAM) system, a critical tool that keeps pilots informed about weather, runway closures, and other vital information. Duffy touted the DOT's recent upgrades to the system as part of broader air traffic control modernization efforts.
The criticism comes as Duffy faces his own controversy. Governor Gavin Newsom (D-CA) called Duffy a "total disgrace" for filming a reality TV show titled "The Great American Road Trip," accusing him of using taxpayer money for the production. Duffy has denied the claim.
Meanwhile, President Donald Trump met with Chinese President Xi Jinping last week, accompanied by CEOs and tech leaders including Tesla (TSLA) CEO Elon Musk and NVIDIA (NVDA) CEO Jensen Huang. The talks covered trade issues, the war in Iran, and Taiwan's status. Following the summit, China announced a 200-aircraft order with Boeing (BA), as Xi said the Chinese economy would welcome more U.S. investment.













