ICYMI: Secretary Mullin and Secretary Duffy Address Nationwide FAA Ground Stop of All Flights

WASHINGTON – On Friday evening, United States Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Secretary Markwayne Mullin, alongside U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) Secretary Sean Duffy, held a press briefing at the White House in response to a nationwide ground stop of all flights following a temporary telecommunications outage.

“I just can’t say this enough: all of your loved ones are safe. We are working to resolve the issue, and we hope to have operations up and normal at some point,” said Secretary Mullin. “We have seen zero evidence that this is a cyberattack or an SI attack. This is a national security risk because our air traffic control system is outdated and it hasn’t been a priority from Congress. This is what happens when Congress kicks the can down the road.”

During the press conference, Secretary Mullin and Secretary Duffy stressed the national security importance of updating and modernizing America’s air traffic control system and called on Congress to take action.

Watch Secretary Mullin’s and Secretary Duffy’s full press briefing here.

On the mission of the Department of Homeland Security:

"This is what the Department of Homeland Security is all about. This is why we were stood up, to have a continuity of government to bring all the resources together in an emergency like this... This is a national emergency. We have all of our assets, be it from DOW, to CISA, to all of our NOCs, and all the other components we have inside of DHS. NSA is working with us."

On the national security risk of Congress not fully funding a modernized air traffic control system:

"This is a national security risk… The President has declared this a national emergency, and now we have to have Congress act and fund it. It is vitally important that we get this system built. The President has said this, Secretary Duffy has said this multiple times: our air traffic control system is outdated, and it hasn't been a priority for Congress."

On President Trump's leadership:

"No one was in danger because of procedures we put in place. The system went down, we reacted the way that we were trained to react, and everybody came together. President Trump immediately had people in his office. We were communicating. Secretary Duffy and the FAA took immediate actions that they had put in place to assure everybody was safe... This is what President Trump does. He puts leaders in place, and he allows them to lead."

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