Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy did what Washington’s spin doctors refuse to do: he put safety first and ordered air traffic reductions after the Democrat-led shutdown left air traffic controllers unpaid and exhausted. The move — blunt, necessary, and honest — came with a simple message to the obstructionist left: “Open the damn government.”
Officials warned the cuts will hit 40 high‑volume markets and will ramp up from an initial few percent to as much as 10 percent if Democrats don’t end the shutdown, forcing airlines to cancel and consolidate hundreds to thousands of flights ahead of the holiday crush. Travelers felt the squeeze immediately as carriers scrambled to rebook and reassign equipment, and analysts warned the disruptions could represent well over a thousand canceled flights and hundreds of thousands of lost seats.
Let’s be clear about why this happened: thousands of FAA workers, including air traffic controllers and TSA personnel, have been working unpaid since October 1, and absences and resignations are rising as people face missed paychecks and family bills. Duffy and FAA leadership made the only responsible call available — reduce traffic to lower the risk of fatigue-related errors — rather than wait for a headline-making catastrophe.
The partisan cries from the left calling this a stunt ring hollow next to the reality on the tarmac and in control towers. Airlines and pilots have been pleading for relief from the chaos the shutdown has created, and the federal government’s choice to weaponize essential workers for political theatre is exactly the sort of contempt for everyday Americans that voters reject.
Duffy’s no-nonsense leadership is the contrast this country needs — not more hollow press releases from senators who collect paychecks while blocking the paychecks of others. Conservatives should stand with any official who puts American lives and livelihoods ahead of partisan optics, and we should amplify the simple remedy he offered: reopen the government and restore full staffing and pay.
If Democrats continue to treat federal workers and travelers as bargaining chips, Republicans and the public must keep up the pressure until they vote to end this self-inflicted crisis. The American people deserve functioning government, secure skies, and leaders who act decisively — not endless theater from lawmakers more interested in headlines than in solving problems.
Let this episode be a lesson: leadership means making the hard calls to protect citizens, and accountability means making those who refuse to do their jobs answer for the chaos they cause. Secretary Duffy chose safety and clarity; now it’s time for Democrats to stop hiding behind talking points and get back to the business of governing.
