President Donald Trump’s administration has recently removed Alvin Brown, the Democratic vice-chairman of the National Transportation Safety Board.
A White House official confirmed to Fox News Digital that Brown was ousted from the board on Tuesday.
“We’re building a brand new air traffic control system.”
Brown, who had been appointed by former President Joe Biden in December 2024, was part of the five-member safety committee just weeks before Trump’s inauguration following the November election.
According to Internet archives, Brown’s information has been absent from the NTSB website since May 1st. He mentioned that he has been on the board since March 2024 and previously worked as a senior adviser on community infrastructure for the Department of Transportation since August 2022. Before that, he served as mayor of Jacksonville, Florida, from 2011 to 2015.
Brown’s early career included being a key member of the White House Leadership Team under President Bill Clinton and Vice President Al Gore, where he advised on various domestic policies, including community development and job creation. As executive director of the White House Community Empowerment Committee, he was instrumental in a $4 billion initiative aimed at community improvement, which included the Empowerment Zone/Enterprise Community Program.
The NTSB website currently lists Chairman Jennifer Homendy, along with members Michael Graham, Thomas Chapman, and J. Todd Inman, leaving just four members on the board.
Jeff Gutsetti, a former investigator for the NTSB and FAA, expressed surprise at the president’s decision to remove board members, noting that typically members remain after their five-year term unless replaced. He remarked that while changes happen over the years, this action felt abrupt and directly from the administration.
While the White House did not provide a specific reason for Brown’s dismissal, Trump has previously criticized delays in aviation investigations and the lack of independent oversight.
In February, Trump signed an executive order aimed at increasing accountability within federal agencies. A fact sheet released by the White House outlined attempts to “rein in” various independent agencies, although it didn’t mention the NTSB specifically.
Trump has voiced concerns regarding independent bodies like the FTC and FCC, stating they’ve wielded considerable power without presidential oversight.
In a prior incident, Ronald Reagan criticized the federal investigation processes following a January disaster at Washington National Airport that resulted in 67 fatalities, stressing dissatisfaction with the slow investigations.
Earlier this week, Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy indicated that the administration is making significant changes to air traffic regulations, asserting, “We’re going to build a brand new air traffic control system,” with more details to be disclosed soon.
