The head of the Federal Aviation Administration revealed plans to resign after President Joe Biden’s term concludes, thereby creating another significant role within a federal agency for President-elect Donald Trump to appoint someone to.
FAA Administrator Mike Whitaker declared he would step down from his role on January 20, coinciding with Trump’s inauguration. His brief tenure, which commenced in October 2023, included the agency’s actions against Boeing in response to various safety issues related to their 737 MAX aircraft, as well as eliciting criticism from Elon Musk after suggesting fines for SpaceX.
“The airspace of the United States is the safest and most intricate in the world, thanks to your commitment to safeguarding the flying public,” Whitaker stated in an email sent to FAA staff on Thursday, as reported by Bloomberg Government. He described his experience at the federal agency as “the best and most challenging job of my career,” but did not provide any explanation for his decision to leave prior to the completion of his five-year term in 2028.
While FAA administrators generally serve a five-year term, it is not unusual for them to resign before that period concludes. Stephen Dickson, who was appointed by Trump before Whitaker, left his position in 2022—just shy of three years into his tenure, which began in 2019.
Whitaker’s appointment garnered unusual bipartisan backing, culminating in a Senate confirmation vote of 98-0 in October 2023.
During his relatively brief time at the helm of the agency, Whitaker led regulatory measures against Boeing, including imposing limits on the production of 737 MAX aircraft following an Alaska Airlines flight that lost a door panel during its journey earlier this year.
Sen. Tammy Duckworth (D-Il), chair of the Senate aviation subcommittee, expressed her disappointment regarding the news.
“Whitaker’s oversight of Boeing’s safety challenges has been critical—and his successor must continue these efforts to ensure the safety of the flying public,” Duckworth noted in a statement posted on X.
Whitaker also received commendations from some of his Republican counterparts. Sen. Ted Cruz (R-TX) remarked to Politico that the FAA administrator “skillfully navigated the agency through a challenging period,” and echoed Duckworth’s sentiments regarding public safety initiatives.
On the other hand, the FAA has often found itself at odds with SpaceX, the aerospace company established by billionaire Trump associate Elon Musk, even during Whitaker’s tenure. In September, the agency suggested imposing $633,009 in fines on the firm related to safety complications involving two launches from the previous year.
Whitaker justified the fines, stating at a Congressional hearing that “they’ve been in operation for 20 years, and it’s vital that they operate at the utmost safety level, which includes the implementation of a safety management system and having a whistleblower policy.”
However, SpaceX contested the penalties in a letter to Congress, which heightened tensions with the regulators. Musk himself signaled a potential lawsuit against the agency and called for Whitaker to resign.
