Trump is reportedly pushing for his longtime personal pilot to head the FAA
President Trump "has told a host of administration officials and associates" that he wants his longtime personal pilot, John Dunkin, to head the Federal Aviation Administration, Axios reported Sunday night, noting that the FAA "has a budget in the billions" and "oversees all civil aviation in the United States." A White House official confirmed to The Washington Post that Dunkin is "in the mix" to lead the agency, run by acting chief Dan Elwell since Michael Huerta's five-year term ended last month. Elwell, a former deputy FAA administrator, is also on the short list, as is Rep. Sam Graves (R-Mo.), a commercial airline pilot.
Dunkin has flown for Trump since 1989, according to a Smithsonian Channel documentary; that's the same year Trump bought Eastern Air Line's shuttle service and transformed it into the ill-fated Trump Shuttle airlines. A senior administration official told Axios' Jonathan Swan that while Dunkin got his job interview because of his ties to Trump, "if he gets the job it won't be because he's the president's pilot." An aviation industry insider told Swan that Trump picking Dunkin would be like "the Seinfeld episode when Cosmo Kramer used his golf caddy as a jury consultant." (It did not end well.)
A White House official told the Post that Trump is not putting his thumb on the scale, but defended Dunkin's qualifications. "John Dunkin isn't just a pilot," an administration official told Axios. "He's managed airline and corporate flight departments, certified airlines from start-up under FAA regulations, and oversaw the Trump presidential campaign's air fleet." Trump, who has proposed privatizing the FAA's air-traffic control system, told airline executives a year ago that he has "a pilot who's a real expert," adding, "My pilot, he's a smart guy, and he knows what's going on." Dunkin has shared with people that he would tell Trump if a pilot ran the FAA, flight delays would disappear, Axios says.
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.
Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
Create an account with the same email registered to your subscription to unlock access.
Sign up for Today's Best Articles in your inbox
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
Peter has worked as a news and culture writer and editor at The Week since the site's launch in 2008. He covers politics, world affairs, religion and cultural currents. His journalism career began as a copy editor at a financial newswire and has included editorial positions at The New York Times Magazine, Facts on File, and Oregon State University.
-
Cicada-geddon: the fungus that controls insects like 'zombies'
Under The Radar Expert says bugs will develop 'hypersexualisation' despite their genitals falling off
By Chas Newkey-Burden, The Week UK Published
-
'Voters know Biden and Trump all too well'
Instant Opinion Opinion, comment and editorials of the day
By Harold Maass, The Week US Published
-
Is the Gaza war tearing US university campuses apart?
Today's Big Question Protests at Columbia University, other institutions, pit free speech against student safety
By Joel Mathis, The Week US Published
-
Empty-nest boomers aren't selling their big homes
Speed Read Most Americans 60 and older do not intend to move, according to a recent survey
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
Brazil accuses Musk of 'disinformation campaign'
Speed Read A Brazilian Supreme Court judge has opened an inquiry into Elon Musk and X
By Rafi Schwartz, The Week US Published
-
Disney board fends off Peltz infiltration bid
Speed Read Disney CEO Bob Iger has defeated activist investor Nelson Peltz in a contentious proxy battle
By Rafi Schwartz, The Week US Published
-
Disney and DeSantis reach detente
Speed Read The Florida governor and Disney settle a yearslong litigation over control of the tourism district
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
Visa and Mastercard agree to lower swipe fees
Speed Read The companies will cap the fees they charge businesses when customers use their credit cards
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
Reddit IPO values social media site at $6.4 billion
Speed Read The company makes its public debut on the New York Stock Exchange
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
Housing costs: the root of US economic malaise?
speed read Many voters are troubled by the housing affordability crisis
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
Feds cap credit card late fees at $8
speed read The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau finalized a rule to save households an estimated $10 billion a year
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published