Sean Duffy Defends Trump as Dana Bash Presses Him on FAA Shutdown

Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy defended President Donald Trump’s handling of a nationwide aviation disruption during a Sunday appearance on CNN’s State of the Union. Anchor Dana Bash challenged Duffy over Trump’s public silence while flights were grounded and travelers faced uncertainty. Bash noted that Trump had made his first substantial public comments about the incident on social media more than a day after it began. She asked whether Americans should have heard from the president while the disruption was unfolding. She also pointed out that Trump had continued posting about other topics during that period. Duffy insisted that Trump had been involved behind the scenes from the start. He said he and Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin went to the White House after the ground stop began and briefed the president in the Oval Office. According to Duffy, Trump instructed officials to take a coordinated, government-wide approach to investigating and responding to the problem. “The president was engaged with me and Markwayne Mullin the entire time,” Duffy said, describing Trump’s involvement as a sign of leadership. Bash’s questions put the secretary on the spot over the contrast between those private briefings and the president’s delayed public response. The FAA ordered flights grounded on Friday after instability affected radar and communications systems used by air traffic controllers. The precautionary stop was lifted that evening, although delays and cancellations continued. Duffy acknowledged responsibility as transportation secretary but also pointed to aging aviation infrastructure, saying some systems date back decades. Bash challenged his explanation about funding, noting that Republicans control Congress and that Trump has urged lawmakers to support other spending priorities. The exchange left Duffy defending both the administration’s response and its explanation for why the disruption occurred.