Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy said on Monday that Democratic lawmakers are prolonging the government shutdown, leading to more delayed flights as air traffic controllers don’t show up for work.
Monday is the 13th day of the 2025 government shutdown, and Senate Republicans need five more votes to reopen the government. Duffy said this shutdown is adding further strain to the transportation department, which is already understaffed by about two or three thousand controllers.
Duffy said controllers are “incredibly frustrated” by the shutdown and are choosing not to come to work, creating a “ricochet” of delays. He also said Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) is “looking out” for illegal immigrants instead of air traffic controllers.
“My message to the controllers is they have to come to work. You got to show up, that’s your job. You’re gonna get paid for your work; it depends when Chuck Schumer opens up the government, but you will get paid. But beyond that, when you have a delay or a cancellation, you got to look to the Democrats and wonder, ‘Why do they want to create chaos? Why do they want to create pain in my life, what, for political power?’” Duffy said on Fox Business’s Mornings with Maria Bartiromo.
“I think Americans are upset about that. From my perspective, when you travel, though, we will slow you down, we will cancel flights. We want to make sure that when you travel, you travel safely, and so if we don’t have controllers necessary to keep you safe, we slow it down, and that’s what you see with those delays,” Duffy said.
Duffy also said Schumer is not “running the show” in the Senate but is “blowing in the breeze.” He said it is “shameful” that Schumer has given up his power to either his potential primary opponent, Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY), or to the “No Kings” protest organizers.
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Duffy praised President Donald Trump for reaching a peace deal in Gaza despite the government shutdown. The secretary expressed hope that Trump can use his negotiating tactics to bring Republicans and Democrats together.
Trump ordered War Secretary Pete Hegseth to use “all available funds” to pay the military on Oct. 15 as the shutdown continues. Vice President JD Vance said Sunday that the administration will use tariff revenue to pay for this.
