Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy has criticized the Department of Defense following an incident where an Army helicopter caused two commercial flights to abort their landings at Reagan National Airport in Washington, D.C. This led to a rare public dispute between two former Fox News personalities now serving in the Trump administration.
The incident has placed Duffy at odds with Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, his former colleague from their Fox News tenure. Both transitioned from television hosts to significant government roles, yet their shared media background has not prevented increasing tensions over military helicopter operations.
The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) reported that the incident occurred on May 1, 2025, around 2:30 p.m., when air traffic controllers instructed a Delta Airlines flight from Orlando, Florida, and a Republic Airways flight from Boston, Massachusetts, to perform go-arounds to avoid an Army Black Hawk helicopter.
Duffy, confirmed as Transportation Secretary in January, openly criticized the Pentagon. “Unacceptable,” Duffy posted on social media. He emphasized that helicopter restrictions around DCA are clear and stated he would contact the Department of Defense to understand why these regulations were disregarded.
Duffy further stated that safety should always be the primary concern, referencing the recent loss of 67 lives. He asserted that there should be no more helicopter flights for VIPs or nonessential training missions in the congested DCA airspace occupied by civilians.
His reference to 67 lost lives pertains to the January 29 collision between an Army Black Hawk helicopter and an American Airlines passenger jet in the same airspace. This crash, which occurred shortly after Duffy’s confirmation, resulted in the deaths of all 60 passengers and four crew members on the American Airlines flight, along with three Army personnel in the helicopter.
In a televised interview with Fox News host Martha MacCallum, Duffy expressed frustration over the lack of information from Hegseth’s department regarding who was aboard the helicopter involved in the recent incident. “So there are way too many VIPs is what they call them at the Pentagon,” Duffy stated. “I mean, I look around the White House, there’s a lot of really important people here. They take a Suburban.”
In the same interview, Duffy specifically referenced his former Fox News colleague, noting his unsuccessful attempts to obtain answers from Hegseth about the incident. The public disagreement between the two Cabinet members, both former television hosts on the same network, has garnered notable attention in Washington.
When MacCallum pointed out that Pentagon sources claimed the helicopter was on a training mission, Duffy responded with skepticism. He noted that training missions are often labeled as such—for instance, when F-16s fly over a football game, it is classified as a training mission. He questioned how many of these “training missions” actually occur during the day.
An early FAA report shared with Congress members stated that the Black Hawk helicopter “did not proceed directly” to the Pentagon Heliport but instead “took a scenic route around the Pentagon versus proceeding directly from the west to the heliport.”
The Army helicopter was part of the 12th Aviation Battalion from Fort Belvoir, Virginia, the same unit involved in the January crash. According to a statement from U.S. Army spokesperson Capt. Victoria Goldfedib, the UH-60 Blackhawk was conducting flight operations into the Pentagon, following established FAA flight routes and instructions from DCA Air Traffic Control, when it performed a go-around. This occurred after Pentagon Air Traffic Control informed the crew that they lacked clearance to land, resulting in the helicopter flying over the Pentagon helipad while adhering to all approved flight procedures.
In another interview, Duffy called on Hegseth to explain “with radical transparency” who could charter a military helicopter from the airport and disrupt air traffic.
Lawmakers from both parties have expressed concerns similar to Duffy’s. Sen. Ted Cruz of Texas noted that just days after military flights resumed in the National Capital Region, the Army is again endangering the traveling public.
Cruz emphasized that two recent close calls did not result in the loss of hundreds of lives, thanks to the quick actions of air traffic controllers and pilots. He argued that the FAA needs to take immediate action and assert control over the national airspace to prevent the Army from using what he described as air taxis for military officials near Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport.
Sen. Maria Cantwell of Washington, the ranking member of the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation, described the incident as outrageous and stated it is long overdue for Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth and the FAA to provide the nation’s airspace with the necessary level of security and safety.
This clash arises as Duffy faces other challenges at the Department of Transportation, including staffing issues at the Federal Aviation Administration. Duffy announced at a town hall on May 2 that the department will perform reductions in force at the end of May as part of the Trump administration’s goal to reduce the federal employee headcount.
Duffy has consistently emphasized that air safety is his highest priority. Speaking at the American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials, he acknowledged that the Department has undertaken many priorities—some of which he might disagree with, and others that different people may support or oppose—but stressed that the sole mission of the Department is safety.
The Transportation Secretary is also advocating for a significant overhaul of the country’s air traffic control system. Last week, he noted that signs of strain are becoming increasingly apparent. He plans to request tens of billions of dollars to revamp the U.S. air traffic control system to address deteriorating infrastructure, severe staffing shortages, and outdated technology.
Following the incident and ensuing controversy, the Army suspended flights into Pentagon airspace pending an internal review.
The FAA and NTSB have launched formal investigations, with a preliminary report expected soon. Sen. Cruz and others have announced legislative efforts to curtail VIP helicopter flights near DCA. Although the initial tone was hostile, some sources suggest Duffy and Hegseth are now discussing solutions.
