Duffy Drops Bombshell Warning: Air Travel Will Soon Collapse Into 'Chaos' If Dems Keep Playing Politics

The proverbial you-know-what is about to hit the fan when it comes to air travel, warns Secretary of Transportation Sean Duffy. Or, if you prefer, Senate Democrats have been FAing for so long with the Schumer Shutdown that air travelers are about to FO the painful consequences of the prolonged Dem dithering.

Duffy held a press conference Tuesday to, among other things, discuss the effects that the continuing shutdown of the Federal government – we're now on day 35! – is having on the nation's air traffic system. And he didn't hold back, telling the assembled media that, due to the Democrat Party's refusal to fund the government, "mass chaos" is about hit America's air space.

Sean Duffy, Mike Johnson Unload on Chuck Schumer Over Shutdown Politics, Nail What the Real Issue Is

Specifically, portions of the country may soon find that their air space has been completely shut down because there simply aren't enough air traffic controllers, who face missing a second paycheck this week, showing up to work to keep the skies safe.

Here's the secretary in his own words:

BREAKING: The Department of Transportation might be forced to shut down airspace in certain parts of the country if the government shutdown continues into next week, Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy said on Tuesday.

Read more: https://t.co/8OnWWD1VUl pic.twitter.com/dHrYJVreDQ
— ABC News (@ABC) November 4, 2025

DUFFY: The controllers got 80 or 90 percent of one payment. They missed the second paycheck. On Thursday, they get an email pay stub that will show what they're next payment will be. So, this Thursday, they'll get an email that shows that their pay stub is a big, fat zero.
Many of the [air traffic] controllers said, "A lot of us can navigate missing one paycheck. Not everybody, but a lot of us can. None of us can manage missing two paychecks."
So, if you bring us to a week from today, Democrats, you will see mass chaos, you will see mass flight delays.
You’ll see mass cancellations, and you may see us close certain parts of the airspace, because we just cannot manage it because we don’t have the air traffic controllers.

Duffy was joined at Tuesday’s press conference, held at the Department of Transportation's DC headquarters, by both of Pennsylvania's senators, Republican Dave McCormick and Democrat John Fetterman; Fetterman is one of just three Democrats who has voted with the GOP to reopen the government. Forty of his fellow Democrats have voted 14 times against funding the Federal government at current levels through November 21.

It's estimated that around 13,000 air traffic controllers are currently working without pay, resulting in around 50% of all major air traffic control facilities facing staffing shortages, according to the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA). Alarmingly, the FAA says "nearly 80 percent of air traffic controllers are absent at New York–area facilities."

At her Tuesday briefing, White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt echoed Duffy's stark warning that the skies are about to get decidedly unfriendly. She offered further evidence that the shutdown is adversely affecting Americans, highlighting the fact that flyers are experiencing three hour waits in security lines at Houston's George Bush International Airport.

KAROLINE LEAVITT: “More than 13,000 air traffic controllers are continuing to work without pay."

"Let me be clear to our incredible air traffic controllers across the country, President Trump and Republicans want you to get your paychecks.” pic.twitter.com/ev23SwIka4
— Fox News (@FoxNews) November 4, 2025

Secretary Duffy has been sounding the alarm for weeks that the nation's air system simply cannot function at optimum levels without sufficient resources flowing into it. He was joined last by Vice President JD Vance in calling on Democrats to stop the grandstanding, with the VP noting it's simply a game of numbers. "The House of Representatives has voted affirmatively to reopen the United States government," Vance said. "Fifty-two Republicans and three Democrats consistently vote to reopen the United States government. But we need 60 votes."

“We need to end the craziness,” the vice president concluded.

We're sure Americans who rely on air travel heartily agree.

Editor’s Note: The Schumer Shutdown is here. Rather than put the American people first, Chuck Schumer and the radical Democrats forced a government shutdown for healthcare for illegals. They own this.

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