The ousted former vice chair of the National Transportation Safety Board is suing President Donald Trump over his removal.
Alvin Brown, who was dismissed by the White House in May, filed a lawsuit this week in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia against Trump, NTSB Chair Jennifer Homendy, and the agency. It accuses the defendants of undermining the agency’s independence and interfering with its duties.
The lawsuit contends that the president cannot remove NTSB members at will but only for “inefficiency, neglect of duty, or malfeasance in office,” which were not applicable to Brown.
“The NTSB’s structure, mission, and functions, along with the terms set for members, demonstrate Congress’ intent to provide the [NTSB] with continuity, stability, and insulation from political pressure exerted by the president,” the document states. “When Defendant Trump directed Defendant National Transportation Safety Board to remove Plaintiff Brown from his position on May 5, 2025, he lacked cause to do so, and therefore, Plaintiff Brown’s removal was illegal.”
Brown is asking the court to declare his removal unlawful and restore him to his post. Before his firing, his term was supposed to end on December 31, 2026.
Brown is a Democrat who previously served as mayor of Jacksonville, Florida. Former President Joe Biden appointed him to the NTSB in 2022, and he was confirmed by the Senate in March 2024. In December of that year, Biden elevated Brown to vice chair.
Trump has not commented on the lawsuit.
Since returning to the White House in January, Trump has fired a number of officials overseeing independent agencies, including leaders at the National Security Agency, Library of Congress, Corporation for Public Broadcasting, National Credit Union Administration, Merit Systems Protection Board, and National Labor Relations Board. In some cases his dismissals have been reversed by court orders and officials reinstated.
