Vance wrote on the platform “X”: “What the Democrats are doing regarding the government shutdown is truly unprecedented… and all of this is coming soon: an air emergency that will lead to significant travel delays for all Americans, depletion of food assistance programs and other aid programs for needy Americans, as well as immense pressure on our military and national security.” The US government announced yesterday, Wednesday, the cancellation of thousands of flights starting from Friday, in an attempt to relieve the pressure on air traffic control, which is suffering from a severe shortage of staff due to the ongoing government shutdown.
In a press conference, US Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy confirmed that the government will reduce the number of flights by 10% at 40 of the busiest airports in the country, indicating “a shortage of about 2000 air traffic controllers, and we need to alleviate the pressure by reducing the number of flights overseen by air traffic controllers,” according to American media.
The US government shutdown began in October 2025 due to Congress’s failure to approve the budget for the new fiscal year, which starts in October each year. The government shutdown means the cessation of major federal institutions that rely on direct funding, which is a crisis that has recurred several times in recent years, causing government paralysis except for essential services such as health and mail.
Former President Donald Trump had indicated in earlier statements that he might use this situation to reduce the number of government employees, while the National Economic Council warned that the ongoing shutdown could cost the American economy about $15 billion weekly.
