Democratic lawmaker sides with Trump officials as FAA cuts flights at 40 airports

A Democratic lawmaker supports the Trump administration’s decision to reduce air traffic due to the current crisis. government shutdown.

Rep. Greg Stanton, Democrat of Arizona, said, “Safety must always be the top priority” for the aviation industry in a statement released Thursday evening.

“Secretary Duffy’s decision to reduce flights at America’s 40 busiest airports is a good call for the safety of the traveling public,” Stanton wrote on

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Democratic Rep. Greg Stanton said the Trump administration’s reduction in air traffic was the “right decision.” (Kamil Krzaczynski/AFP via Getty Images; Bill Clark/CQ-Roll Call, Inc via Getty Images)

He concluded: “Arizona deserves better, and so do the hard-working professionals who keep our skies safe. »

Friday marks the 38th day of government shutdown. Bipartisan efforts in the Senate to end the impasse have yet to produce a clear exit.

Thousands of federal employees have been furloughed as critical agencies and programs lack funds, while civil servants deemed “essential” have been forced to work without pay for weeks.

People in the latter group include air traffic controllers and Transportation Security Administration (TSA) agents, many of whom have been forced to take second jobs and call in sick to make ends meet.

Travelers look at the flight information display system at Los Angeles International Airport, California, November 3, 2025. (Juliana Yamada/Los Angeles Times via Getty Images)

Secretary of Transportation, Sean Duffy and the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) ordered a 4% reduction in air traffic at 40 of the busiest airports in the United States, effective Friday.

This reduction will gradually increase to 10% by November 14 if the closure does not end by then.

An emergency order issued by the FAA said the reduction would ensure the National Airspace System could “maintain the highest safety standards” amid a shortage fueled by the shutdown.

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This includes Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport, the largest airport serving the Stanton District.

Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy speaks alongside Rep. Tom Emmer and Speaker of the House Mike Johnson during a news conference at the U.S. Capitol in Washington, Oct. 23, 2025. (Eric Lee/Getty Images)

Stanton’s neighboring 4th Congressional District encompasses parts of Phoenix and its surrounding suburbsincluding parts of Tempe and Mesa.

In Washington, whose two major airports are also affected by the cut order, Democratic leaders are still publicly insisting that any funding deal be accompanied by an extension of Obamacare subsidies enhanced during the COVID-19 crisis, which are set to expire at the end of this year.

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Republicans opposed partisan politics in a funding bill aimed at ending the shutdown.

Stanton was among the House Democrats who voted against the GOP funding proposal when it passed the House on September 19.