It has been a rough several days for aviation in the United States. We’re currently on day 41 of the government shutdown, which is the longest one we’ve ever seen in the country. While there are signs of the shutdown nearing an end, it hasn’t happened yet.
An increasing number of air traffic controllers have been calling in sick, given that some can no longer justify showing up to work without a paycheck. As a result, we’ve seen the FAA force airlines to cancel a certain percentage of flights, and that’s intended to help with operational reliability and staffing shortages.
Anyway, President Trump has just taken to social media, with a rather unusual message directed at air traffic controllers.
Trump’s mixed message to air traffic controllers
Trump has taken to his social media network, Truth Social, to share the following message with air traffic controllers:
All Air Traffic Controllers must get back to work, NOW!!! Anyone who doesn’t will be substantially “docked.” For those Air Traffic Controllers who were GREAT PATRIOTS, and didn’t take ANY TIME OFF for the “Democrat Shutdown Hoax,” I will be recommending a BONUS of $10,000 per person for distinguished service to our Country. For those that did nothing but complain, and took time off, even though everyone knew they would be paid, IN FULL, shortly into the future, I am NOT HAPPY WITH YOU. You didn’t step up to help the U.S.A. against the FAKE DEMOCRAT ATTACK that was only meant to hurt our Country. You will have a negative mark, at least in my mind, against your record. If you want to leave service in the near future, please do not hesitate to do so, with NO payment or severance of any kind! You will be quickly replaced by true Patriots, who will do a better job on the Brand New State of the Art Equipment, the best in the World, that we are in the process of ordering. The last “Administration” wasted Billions of Dollars trying to fix antiquated “junk.” They had no idea what they were doing! Again, to our great American Patriots, GOD BLESS YOU – I won’t be able to send your money fast enough! To all others, REPORT TO WORK IMMEDIATELY. GOD BLESS AMERICA! PRESIDENT DONALD J. TRUMP
I don’t even know what to make of that message!
One thing is for sure — Trump manages to pack a lot of information into his social media posts, and this is no exception.
Okay, so Trump is telling all air traffic controllers to return to work “NOW!!!” And he’s recommending a $10K bonus for the “GREAT PATRIOTS” who didn’t take any time off of work (I’m curious if there’s actually a mechanism by which he’ll try to make this happen, or if this is just talk).
Meanwhile for those who “did nothing but complain, and took time off,” they should return to work immediately, and Trump is “NOT HAPPY WITH YOU,” and you’ll have a “negative mark against your record,” at least in Trump’s mind.
And he’s also encouraging anyone who took time off of work to quit with no payment or severance of any kind, because you can easily be “replaced by true Patriots, who will do a better job on the Brand New State of the Art Equipment, the best in the world, that we are just in the process of ordering.”
Bottom line
President Trump has issued quite the message to air traffic controllers, amid operational issues resulting from the government shutdown. He is recommending a $10K bonus for the “patriot” air traffic controllers who didn’t take any time off, though it’s not clear if there’s any mechanism by which that will happen, or if that’s just talk.
Meanwhile for the air traffic controllers who did take any time off at all, he’s telling them to return to work now, or otherwise to quit, so that they can be replaced by patriots.
What do you make of Trump’s message to air traffic controllers?
