Hotline between Reagan National, Pentagon hasn't worked for 3 years
The hotline between the Department of Defense and air traffic controllers at Reagan Washington National Airport (DCA) has not worked for over three years, according to a top Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) official.
Franklin J. McIntosh, FAA's deputy chief operating officer, confirmed during a Senate hearing on Wednesday on the agency's modernization efforts that the hotline connecting the military and air traffic controllers at DCA has 'been inoperable' since March 2022.
McIntosh told senators that he thinks the Pentagon maintains the line of communication.
'I think the next question would be why we were not aware of it and insist upon it to be fixed,' he told members of the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science and Transportation, adding that 'we take safety responsibilities very seriously in the FAA.'
'We were not aware, but we became after that event,' the official added. 'And now that we became aware of that event, we're insisting upon that line to be fixed before we resume any operations out of the Pentagon.'
The FAA temporarily shut down a helicopter route near DCA in March after an Army Black Hawk helicopter and an American Airlines passenger plane collided in January, killing 67 people in one of the deadliest airline accidents in the U.S. in the last 20 years.
'I would expect the DOD to expedite the timeline so they can begin operations,' McIntosh said.
When asked by Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Texas), who chairs the committee, whether the hotline was inoperable, the FAA official said air traffic controllers at DCA can communicate with the Pentagon using a landline.
He also told lawmakers on Wednesday that the federal regulatory agency was considering banning the Army from flying near DCA's airspace after an early May incident where air traffic controllers had to divert two planes to prevent them from crashing into a military helicopter.
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USA Today
2 hours ago
- USA Today
Trump hosts patriotic parade as Democrats plan silly protests against ‘kings.'
Trump hosts patriotic parade as Democrats plan silly protests against 'kings.' | Opinion The left has tried for years to paint Donald Trump as a Hitler-style strongman whose authoritarian instincts threaten democracy itself. Clearly, that argument has failed. Yet, they persist. Show Caption Hide Caption Army Golden Knights parachute team practices for military parade The Army's Golden Knights parachute team has been preparing for months to perform at the 250th anniversary military parade. I've never liked parades. Even growing up, they struck me as boring and kind of corny. How many fire trucks and floats does one need to see rolling down the street at a snail's pace? But a lot of people do enjoy them, and they can be a good way of bringing communities, large and small, together. Parades have dominated the headlines of late because President Donald Trump is holding one to celebrate the U.S. Army's 250th anniversary. The spectacle, which will feature tanks and soldiers, among other displays of our country's military might, will take place June 14 in our nation's capital. The date also happens to be Trump's 79th birthday. In a video previewing the parade, he invited Americans to attend the 'unforgettable celebration," calling it – in Trump fashion – 'one like you've never seen before.' 'For two and a half centuries, the men and women of America's Army have dominated our enemies and protected our freedom at home,' the president said. 'This parade salutes our soldiers' remarkable strength and unbeatable spirit. You won't want to miss it. Just don't miss this one. It's going to be good.' Opinion: Hey, Democrats, LA riots make Americans like me glad Trump is president That all sounds quite patriotic to me, and it's in line with Trump's longstanding desire to properly mark the country's 250th birthday in 2026. In his first term, Trump fashioned the 1776 Commission to help prepare the celebration and remind Americans what the Founding Fathers envisioned when creating our republic. Democrats shout 'dictator' and plan ridiculous protests Democrats, however, are freaking out (what's new, right?). Sen. Adam Schiff of California, pompous progressive extraordinaire, called the planned event a 'dictator-style military parade,' putting Trump on par with global bad guys like Russia's Vladimir Putin, North Korea's late Kim Jong Il and China's Xi Jinping. For years, the left has tried to paint Trump as a Hitler-style strongman whose authoritarian instincts threaten democracy itself. Clearly, that argument has failed. Yet, they persist. Opinion: Can you be legally punished for misgendering someone? Colorado says yes. Liberals love nothing more than a rowdy protest, so that's what many are planning for the same day to show their outrage at the president. 'No Kings Day' is one of the most prominent anti-parade 'movements,' with at least 1,800 events planned nationwide. It has received financial support from the likes of Walmart heiress Christy Walton and a host of progressive groups. 'People from all walks of life support No Kings because our country was founded on the idea that presidents answer to the people – not to authoritarian overreach or violence,' said Randi Weingarten, president of the American Federation of Teachers, a No Kings partner organization. That is rich coming from Weingarten, who helped orchestrate the devastating and needless school shutdowns during COVID-19 that harmed millions of children. The 'No Kings' name is also ironic, considering Trump first got the idea to hold a big parade in 2017 when he attended France's Bastille Day celebration. The holiday marks a pivotal point in the French Revolution that overturned the monarchy and ushered in the country's democracy. Not to be outdone with the silliness, the Women's March (remember the pink 'pussyhat' marchers from 2017?) is trying to revive itself by hosting circus-themed 'Kick Out the Clowns' protests, purportedly more than 300 events countrywide. Activists will wear clown costumes to show their outrage at the Trump administration's 'clown-show fascism.' They have a 'goal' of setting the record for the most circuses in one day. 'We need to kick out the clowns, and end the greatest shitshow on earth,' the Women's March website proclaims. I wish I were kidding … but I'm not. Clowns aside, should we be worried about a military parade? Back briefly to Trump's parade. Should we be worried? Is it a symbol of the president's devious machinations? It's helpful to consider what's happened in the past. While military-style parades aren't common in the United States, they aren't unprecedented, either. USA TODAY has referred to them as 'retro.' Opinion: Democrats waste $20 million to learn why they lost men. Here's my free advice. 'I see it like most things in American politics today,' David Dulio, distinguished professor of political science at Michigan's Oakland University, told me via email. 'Many observers would like to reduce this to something simple when, in fact, it's complex. Are military parades in the U.S. common? No. But are they unprecedented? Also no.' The most recent such parade was in 1991, under President George H.W. Bush to commemorate the end of the Persian Gulf War. The inaugurations of former Presidents Dwight D. Eisenhower and John F. Kennedy also featured parades with military elements. The fact the Army's anniversary falls on Trump's birthday is leading to a lot of Democrats' consternation. It's true that our reality TV president has a flair for the dramatic. And it's obvious he holds himself in high esteem. It's also possible that Trump loves the country, too. Ingrid Jacques is a columnist at USA TODAY. Contact her at ijacques@ or on X: @Ingrid_Jacques
Yahoo
5 hours ago
- Yahoo
'No Kings' protests: What to know about the June 14 rallies against Trump
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Boston Globe
5 hours ago
- Boston Globe
Trump is finally getting his chance to try to top France with a grand military parade in DC
For Trump, a media-attuned real estate developer who was a reality television star and beauty pageant owner, it's a chance to flex his skills as a showman. But the muscular display of military might also comes as Trump is increasingly flexing the powers of his office, including with the deployment of thousands of National Guard troops to respond to protests in Los Angeles over his immigration crackdown. Get Starting Point A guide through the most important stories of the morning, delivered Monday through Friday. Enter Email Sign Up The Republican president's desire for a grand military parade was scuttled in his first term over concerns about the high cost for the event. This time around, he is barreling past objections just like the tanks that will roll down Constitution Avenue. Advertisement Trump has dismissed concerns about the cost, about what message the display of military power sends and about the fact that it will take place on his 79th birthday. One potential obstacle the president can't control is the weather. There's a chance the parade could be interrupted by thunderstorms. The White House has said it will go on rain or shine, but it could be delayed by lightning. Advertisement Trump said Thursday night that he hopes the weather is OK but if it's not, 'That's OK too.' 'Doesn't matter,' he said at the White House. 'Doesn't affect the tanks at all. Doesn't affect the soldiers. They're used to it.' Parade plans emerge after joining Army bash, donors defraying costs The parade was initially conceived as a July 4 event, but Trump found occasion this year to add it onto a long-planned celebration of the 250th anniversary of the U.S. Army that coincides with Flag Day and Trump's birthday. 'This parade will honor all of the military men and women who have bravely served our country, including those who made the ultimate sacrifice to defend our freedom,' White House spokesperson Anna Kelly said in a statement. 'No event can fully capture our gratitude for those who have worn the uniform, but this grand parade will ensure our veterans and active-duty service members are recognized with the respect and magnificence they deserve.' The White House has not offered details about when and how the administration first began pushing this year to turn Trump's parade vision into reality, but the president has been briefed regularly on its progress and made suggestions about details of the plans, according to press secretary Karoline Leavitt. Private donations from companies like Lockheed Martin, Amazon and UFC are helping defray some of the costs, but the government still is expected to spend $25 million to $45 million. Some members of Congress have questioned the high cost at a time when the administration has been pushing for deep spending cuts throughout the government. Advertisement Defense officials and the White House have justified the cost as a worthy expense to pay tribute to service members and inspire patriotism, and Trump has called it 'a great expenditure.' 'We're going to have to try and top it' Outside of wartime, there isn't much of a tradition of military parades in the U.S., with some critics likening the planned pageantry to the jingoistic displays seen in North Korea. But Trump's inspiration was the 2017 Bastille Day procession he attended in France, which he declared at the time to be 'magnificent' and 'one of the greatest parades I have ever seen.' 'We're going to have to try and top it,' he said then. With the parade now set to occur on his 79th birthday, Trump said he is 'taking a little heat' over the overlapping occasions. But he said the festivities are meant to celebrate the Army and Flag Day, not his birthday. His imprint Saturday will be clear, though. Trump requested aircraft and military equipment that capture the might of the military, according to the White House. He is expected to view the synchronized flyovers, along with the processions of tanks, historical reenactments and marching soldiers, from a special reviewing stand. Toward the end of the day's events, he is set to deliver remarks during a nationally televised ceremony capped by fireworks. One of Trump's favorite musical acts, " God Bless the USA" singer Lee Greenwood, is on tap to perform. Greenwood's song is one of the president's preferred walk-on tunes at events. The singer has performed in person at campaign rallies, and Trump even partnered with Greenwood on a business deal to sell 'God Bless the USA' Bibles for $59.99. Advertisement Protests expected to counter the military show Though the president has blown past the logistical and financial barriers that stopped his parade in the past, the pageantry still is expected to draw pushback. With predictions of as many as 200,000 attendees, the Secret Service is preparing for protests by erecting 18 miles of anti-scale fencing and deploying drones to the city's skies to keep watch. Multiple protests to counter the event were being planned, including a march to the White House. Immigration-related clashes between protesters and law enforcement in Los Angeles have spread to other cities this week and heightened the possibility of tensions in the Washington area. The president this week said that if protesters show up at the parade, 'they will be met with very big force.' It was not clear what he meant by that remark, but it added to the alarm of critics who claim the policies of Trump's administration and the planned lavish display of militarism smack of authoritarian politics. Organizers of 'No Kings' protests are planning demonstrations around the country Saturday to counter an event they contend is meant to feed Trump's ego. 'The flag doesn't belong to President Trump. It belongs to us,' the 'No Kings' website says. But they're not planning to hold an event in Washington. Instead, their flagship event will be in Philadelphia, and organizers said they hope to draw attention away from what they paint as a strongman spectacle designed for Trump's birthday, like a king. Trump laughed off the idea Thursday. 'I don't feel like a king,' he said. 'I have to go through hell to get stuff approved.' ___ Associated Press writers Darlene Superville and Chris Megerian contributed to this report.
