Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy has indicated that air traffic controllers who frequently called in sick during the government shutdown might face disciplinary action, even before they had missed their first paycheck.
Duffy made these remarks on Tuesday during a visit to Chicago’s O’Hare International Airport, following President Donald Trump’s more severe warning to the controllers issued earlier.
On Monday, Trump took to Truth Social to express his frustration, stating, “All Air Traffic Controllers must get back to work, NOW!!! Anyone who doesn’t will be substantially ‘docked.’ For those that did nothing but complain, and took time off, even though everyone knew they would be paid, IN FULL, shortly into the future, I am NOT HAPPY WITH YOU.”
During a press conference, Duffy was questioned about Trump’s statements and sought to elaborate on the administration’s stance.
“My concern is with those air traffic controllers who, before missing a paycheck due to the shutdown, repeatedly chose not to come to work,” Duffy explained.
“I’m worried about their commitment and sense of duty. While we haven’t reached a final decision, we are reviewing the actions of those controllers who consistently decided to be absent from work,” he added.
‘And again, we have to look at the data. I would just tell you, I’m trying to bring more air traffic controllers in. I’m not trying to take air traffic controllers out, but if we have controllers who systemically weren’t doing their job, we will take action,’ he concluded.
The shutdown, which has dragged into its 43rd day, began on October 1. Air traffic controllers were partially paid in the middle of October and missed their first full paycheck on October 28.
Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy said on Tuesday he ‘will take action’ if he finds that air traffic controllers were systematically calling out sick from work before they missed their first paycheck
Duffy’s comments came a day after President Donald Trump threatened consequences for controllers who didn’t immediately return to work
It’s not clear whether Duffy plans to pursue disciplinary action for those who began calling out before October 28 or limit the timeframe to those who started not to show up before the middle of the month.
The Daily Mail approached the Department of Transportation for further clarification.
Duffy also praised Trump for his idea to reward air traffic controllers who continued to show up throughout the shutdown.
‘President Trump, brilliant! The air traffic controllers who didn’t miss a day and came for every scheduled shift they had, they should get a bonus,’ he said. ‘Now, I don’t know how many there are going to be, we’re going to have to do that analysis, but I’m aligned with the president.’
Controllers are set to miss their second full paycheck this week. This can be avoided if the House approves the Senate-passed continuing resolution that will fund the government through January 30, 2026.
The House is scheduled to vote Wednesday evening, and Trump has said he will sign the proposal when it gets to his desk.
Millions of airline passengers have had their travel disrupted by shutdown-induced staffing shortages at major US airports.
The single worst day was November 9, which had more than 10,000 flight delays and around 2,700 cancellations.
Millions of airline passengers have had their travel disrupted by shutdown-induced staffing shortages at major US airports
Pictured: Travelers crowd a terminal at Chicago’s O’Hare International Airport on November 10, 2025
If the shutdown ends tonight, the country will have avoided a scenario in which airports are crippled during Thanksgiving, the holiday that gets the most Americans traveling by far.
Experts had been forecasting that Thanksgiving travel would once again break records in 2025. Last year, nearly 80 million Americans either hit the road or took a plane.
Now that the government funding lapse appears close to an end, 42 million Americans could soon have their SNAP benefits restored and roughly 1.4 million federal workers could begin getting their paychecks again.
A deal emerged on November 9, when eight Senate Democrats broke ranks and voted to advance the House bill.
Democrats had voted against this resolution 14 times because it did not include a permanent extension to Affordable Care Act subsidies that make getting health insurance cheaper for tens of millions of Americans.
The defectors were promised a December vote on extending these subsidies by Senate Majority Leader John Thune, a Republican from South Dakota.
The measure faces long odds in the Senate, and House Speaker Mike Johnson has not committed to holding a vote on it.
