- Federal Aviation Administration Administrator Mike Whitaker plans to resign when President-elect Donald Trump takes office, Whitaker said in a memo to staff Thursday.
- In September, SpaceX CEO Elon Musk, a close ally of President Trump, called for Whitaker's resignation and harshly criticized the FAA's decision to fine SpaceX $633,000. did.
- The FAA also announced that Deputy Administrator Katie Thomson will resign on January 10, leaving Mark House, the FAA's deputy assistant secretary for finance and administration, as the acting senior FAA official during the transition period.
Federal Aviation Administration Administrator Mike Whitaker, who has overseen the Federal Aviation Administration's response to Boeing Co.'s major safety problems since the January midair emergency, will step down when President-elect Donald Trump takes office next month. .
SpaceX CEO Elon Musk, a Trump ally, called for Whitaker's resignation in September after the FAA announced that SpaceX had violated launch permit requirements. He harshly criticized the decision to fine the company $633,000.
President Trump has said he plans to replace a number of officials before his term ends, but he did not say what his plans are for the FAA.
Drone activity near Trump Bedminster, Spurs Army Arsenal, New Jersey Flight restrictions: FAA
Whitaker is set for a five-year term as FAA administrator in October 2023, and will leave his post on January 20, the day President Trump takes office for his second term in the White House.
“As I conclude my time at the FAA, my confidence in your ability to fulfill our safety mission has never been stronger,” Whitaker said in a memo to employees Thursday. Ta.
The FAA also announced that Deputy Administrator Katie Thomson will be resigning on January 10, which will replace Mark House, FAA's Deputy Assistant Administrator for Finance and Administration, with acting FAA senior official during the transition period. It will become.
Michael G. Whitaker, who took over as FAA administrator in October 2023, will step down when President-elect Donald Trump takes office, Whitaker said in a memo to employees on Dec. 12, 2024. (Federal Aviation Administration)
Whitaker told Reuters last week that he did not know whether he would remain in office beyond January 20 as discussions with the transition team continued.
His tenure has been spent working on Boeing safety issues After an Alaska Airlines 737 MAX 9 plane took off at 16,000 feet, four key bolts on the door panel came loose.
Democratic Sen. Tammy Duckworth, who chairs the aviation subcommittee, said she was saddened by Whitaker's departure and praised his oversight of Boeing. “I hope he continues the work he has spearheaded in this area,” she said.
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In January, the FAA chief took the unprecedented step of limiting Boeing's production of the 737 MAX to 38 planes a month and has required the company to make dramatic safety improvements before regaining authority.
Whittaker, who announced another audit of Boeing in October, said it could take five years for the company to reform its safety culture, but he said the aircraft maker introduced a new parts management system and improved training. He pointed out that he did.
He has also dealt with ongoing air traffic control staffing issues and a series of near-miss incidents that have raised safety concerns.
