In the wake of the recent air disasters, the Trump administration has a brilliant new idea involving his pal, Elon Musk. This week, U.S. Secretary of Transportation Sean Duffy announced plans for the billionaire’s Department of Government Efficient (DOGE) to make changes to the aviation system.
“Big News – Talked to the DOGE team. They are going to plug in to help upgrade our aviation system,” Duffy wrote in a tweet on Musk’s X’s platform. The Tesla CEO corroborated the news in a follow-up tweet:
“With the support of President @realDonaldTrump, the @DOGE team will aim to make rapid safety upgrades to the air traffic control system. Just a few days ago, the FAA’s primary aircraft safety notification system failed for several hours!”
It is unclear what plans the department has to improve the country’s aviation infrastructure and safety system. Recall that Donald Trump established the Department of Government Efficiency in November with Musk and Vivek Ramaswamy as leaders to cut “wasteful expenditures.”
Although the department clearly lacks experience in the aviation sector, Trump’s administration seems to be taking advantage of Musk’s influence in space exploration. It is, however, worth noting that the billionaire has a complicated history with the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA). Per TIME, both parties have been at loggerheads since 2023 after former administrator Michael Whitaker fined Musk’s SpaceX $633,009. Whitaker, who resigned once Trump took office, accused the company of violating numerous safety violations.
How Do Citizens Feel About Elon Musk’s DOGE’s Plans for Aviation?
SpaceX won the battle against Whitaker, finally getting a permit for the fifth Starship launch in Oct. 2024 as opposed to the proposed Nov. 2024. Unfortunately, the launch in Jan. 2025 resulted in a dramatic explosion captured in a viral video. The spacecraft exploded less than ten minutes into the air, causing a fiery display of debris, which bystanders in Turks and Caicos witnessed.
With such a precedent, news of Musk’s involvement with the aviation industry isn’t sitting well with fans. Many social media users are critical of the plan.
“Is there going to be any oversight or transparency on this one?” asked former state prosecutor Ron Filipkowski. “Or is it going to be another ‘trust me bro’ where anyone who asks questions about it gets investigated by the DC US Attorney for DOGE harassment?“
“Scariest thing I’ve read today. And that’s saying a lot,” another comment read.
“I’m never flying again,” this fan declared while another mocked, “Yeah, let’s let a 19-year-old who goes by ‘bigballs’ handle the situation. Very confidence inspiring.”
“Is this the guy who runs a space program where the rockets keep crashing and burning?” another remark read.
The initial reception to Trump and DOGE’s plan for the aviation industry hasn’t been the greatest. However, that hasn’t stopped the controversial duo before.
