Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy said that the U.S. may be forced to close certain parts of its airspace if issues with staffing continue amid the government shutdown. Duffy said “mass chaos” would ensue if the shutdown continued for another week.

The Department of Transportation might be forced to shut down the airspace in certain parts of the country if the government shutdown continues into next week.

Authorities cleared the scene, and operations at the airport resumed, according to a post on X by Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy.

Secretary Sean Duffy's comment comes amid a growing number of flight delays at airports across the country. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy said Tuesday that the U.S. might be forced to close parts of its airspace if staffing shortages amid the government shutdown continue.

The following is the transcript of the interview with Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy that aired on "Face the Nation with Margaret Brennan" on Nov. 2, 2025.

U.S. Secretary of Transportation Sean Duffy addressed SEPTA's ongoing issues during a press conference in Washington, D.C., on Tuesday, Nov. 4.

As the government shutdown stretches into its fourth week, the airline industry is continuing to feel the strain as air traffic controllers and Transportation Security Administration (TSA) officers continue to go without pay,

Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy, Sen. Tim Kaine & Sen. Ed Markey will be on "This Week" airing on Sunday November 2.