FAA Administrator Mike Whitaker to Resign After Year in Role

An internal email announcing the decision posted on X by CNN transportation reporter Alexandra Skores stated that Whitaker plans to resign on January 20, which is also President-elect Donald Trump’s inauguration day.

Whitaker's departure will occur 14 months into a five-year term.

“Serving as Administrator of the [FAA]—with this incredible team—has been the honor of my lifetime,” Whitaker said in the email. “The United States is the safest and most complex airspace in the world, and that is because of your commitment to the safety of the flying public.”

Whitaker will cut short his time as administrator just a little over a year after he was confirmed by the Senate in October 2023. His appointment ended a 19-month period where the position was left vacant.

In another X post, Skores quoted Senator Ted Cruz (R-Texas), who thanked Whitaker for his service.

“When he took the job, I asked him to focus on keeping the flying public safe and to stay out of politics, and he has ably led the agency during a challenging period, and I want to thank him for his public service,” Cruz said in the post.

Prior to his confirmation, Whitaker served as the chief operating officer of Supernal, a company designing an electric advanced air mobility (AAM) vehicle. He also served as FAA deputy administrator from 2013-2016, as well as more than a decade in management at United Airlines.

This is a developing story.