Trump Declares Proposed Systems Mean ‘You Wouldn’t Even Need Pilots’

President touts new ATC replacement equipment as ‘unbelievable.’

Caleb Revill

Thursday, May 08, 2025 at 05:41 PM ET

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Edited By:

Ryan Ewing

President Donald Trump speaks [Shutterstock/Chip Somodevilla]

Key Takeaways:

President Donald Trump remarked that advanced proposed air traffic control (ATC) systems are so capable that pilots might not be necessary, though he clarified his belief that pilots are always needed.
He criticized the current FAA ATC system as outdated, inefficient, and costly, advocating for a complete overhaul with new, "unbelievable" technology.
Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy shared Trump's comments, publicly thanking the President for his support of modernizing the air traffic control system.

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President Donald Trump said that pilots may not even be needed with the new proposed air traffic control systems.

The comment was made in an apparent gaffe in which the president then doubled down upon while speaking to reporters on Thursday. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy shared the video clip on social media Thursday afternoon, thanking the president for supporting the air traffic control (ATC) system overhaul.