A malfunction in the air traffic control system has caused chaos at US airports, with thousands of flights canceled and delayed since last Friday. US President Donald Trump reacted publicly for the first time on Sunday, attributing responsibility to the administration of his predecessor, Joe Biden, in a post on the social network Truth Social.
According to Trump, the previous administration worsened a system that was already old and worn out, he writes in the post, in which he describes the Biden administration’s work at the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) as catastrophic. “The Biden administration was a disaster for the FAA. Everything they touched went wrong.
Much money was spent recklessly, making an old and worn-out system even worse than when they found it,” Trump is quoted as having written. The head of the White House also asked Congress for urgent approval of funds to modernize the air traffic control system, asserting that his administration has a plan to replace the outdated infrastructure.
Meanwhile, US authorities have given a preliminary explanation for the cause of the malfunction. During work to switch from copper cables to fiber optics, a network device was overloaded with data, causing problems in communications and radar systems. In addition, Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy said that the equipment caused an overload in communication systems, affecting radar operations, Newsmax Balkans reports.
The massive disruption to flights has affected thousands of passengers across the country. On Saturday, 6,467 flights were canceled, while on Friday more than 9,000 cancellations were recorded. More than 900 other flights had also been canceled on Sunday, while airlines are trying to restore normality to their schedules.
FAA Administrator Bryan Bedford has stated that he expects the system to fully recover by the end of Sunday. He did not provide other details on the measures to be taken to avoid a repeat of the situation. Meanwhile, the Federal Aviation Administration has ordered the suspension of all departing flights at US airports, citing extraordinary circumstances and safety concerns, after problems with air traffic control communications in Chicago.
The FAA has launched an investigation to determine the causes of the incident, according to authorities. Trump’s request for funds comes at a time when Congress must approve the budget for modernizing the outdated air traffic control infrastructure, an issue the president has placed at the center of his response.
His administration has promised a plan to replace the system but has not given concrete deadlines. As flights are gradually returning, thousands of passengers remain stranded at airports, and airlines are facing the costs of cancellations and flight rescheduling.
Authorities have not reported any injuries, only disruptions to communications and radar, which led to the suspension of departures. The FAA investigation is expected to clarify whether the malfunction was related only to the cable work or to other factors as well. For President Trump, responsibility remains with the previous administration, which he accuses of leaving an old and worn-out system.
Other officials have not commented on the accusations, while the FAA continues its investigation. Until then, travelers at US airports continue to face delays and cancellations, while airlines hope that normality will return by Sunday, as Bedford predicted.