Elon Musk has taken to X (formerly Twitter) to call for retired air traffic controllers to return to work, claiming there is a shortage of “top-notch” professionals in the field. The problem? Federal rules don’t allow retirees to return, and the shortage Musk worries about is largely the result of the Trump administration job cuts.
Musk, who has become oddly fascinated with the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) since Donald Trump’s second term began, made his plea on X:
“There is a shortage of top-notch air traffic controllers. If you have retired, but are open to returning to work, please consider doing so.”
There is a shortage of top notch air traffic controllers. If you have retired, but are open to returning to work, please consider doing so.
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) February 27, 2025
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His concern comes amid growing anxiety over air travel safety. Recent airplane accidents and near misses have made headlines, though aviation experts insist that the spike is just a statistical fluke. Still, Musk’s post suggests he sees himself as the hero in this situation, rallying the old guard to save the skies.
According to FAA regulations, people can only apply to become air traffic controllers if they are under 31 years old. Once hired, they can work until they reach 56. After that, they retire and are out of the game. So even if retired controllers wanted to return, they legally couldn’t.
Musk’s concern isn’t completely out of nowhere. The FAA has struggled with staffing shortages for years. In 2023, The New York Times reported that almost every air traffic control site in the U.S. was understaffed, leading to stress, exhaustion, and serious safety concerns. Last September, the FAA had about 14,000 air traffic controllers after hiring 1,800 new ones in an attempt to fix a “decades-long air traffic controller staffing level decline.” The goal was to stabilize the workforce and ensure air safety.
But then Trump happened.
Earlier this month, the Trump administration slashed 400 FAA jobs. Officials claimed the layoffs only affected probationary employees—those with less than two years on the job—and did not include air traffic controllers. However, critics argue that removing support staff who handle radar and navigation maintenance still impacts flight safety.
Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy defended the move, saying it was necessary to “prioritize merit-based hiring” after Trump signed an executive order to eliminate Biden-era diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) programs.
“On the layoffs, these were probationary employees—meaning they had only been at the FAA for less than two years, represented less than 1 percent of FAA’s more than 45,000 employees,” said Department of Transportation spokesperson Halee Dobbins.
In other words, the administration fired workers, then insisted those job cuts didn’t matter.
Musk’s sudden interest in aviation isn’t entirely random. He has been collaborating with the Department of Transportation under Trump’s second term, with Secretary Duffy announcing that Musk’s Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) team would assist in modernizing the U.S. aviation system.
Big News – Talked to the DOGE team. They are going to plug in to help upgrade our aviation system.
— Secretary Sean Duffy (@SecDuffy) February 5, 2025
If Musk wanted to help, he might push for increased funding and hiring efforts instead of asking retirees to do something legally impossible. The FAA’s real problem isn’t a lack of willing workers; it’s a lack of long-term investment and stable policy decisions.
Featured image via Political Tribune Gallery
