Gavin Newsom is fuming at Donald Trump and his administration for “endangering lives.” The California Governor did not hold back, criticizing and blaming the Republicans for the temporary ground stop at Los Angeles.
Newsom took to X (formerly known as X) to shed light on the disruptions of operations at the Los Angeles International Airport. On Sunday, significant delays were experienced at the busy airport due to a ground stop. Some passengers had to wait from 49 to 87 minutes.
The California Governor saw this as the perfect opportunity to call out the Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy. “Hell of a job, @SecDuffy. Can’t wait to see what you do with NASA,” Newsom wrote in a post,” Newsom wrote in a post.
Hell of a job, @SecDuffy.
Can’t wait to see what you do with NASA. https://t.co/VenPP5IlEQ
— Governor Newsom Press Office (@GovPressOffice) October 26, 2025
Another post from the 58-year-old accused “Trump’s shutdown” of “ endangering American lives.” He then went on to tag the President, House Speaker Mike Johnson, and Senator John Thune while urging the group to get back to work. “You owe it to the American people,” he added.
Trump’s shut down is endangering American lives.
President Trump, @SpeakerJohnson & @LeaderJohnThune get back to work — you owe it to the American people. https://t.co/VenPP5IlEQ
— Governor Newsom Press Office (@GovPressOffice) October 26, 2025
A KTLA report reveals that the ground stop was put to an end in two hours after its beginning. The main cause of the disruption was discovered to be a staffing shortage. The shortage was not at the Los Angeles airport at all, but it was the Oakland airport facing the problem.
As a result, flights between Los Angeles and Oakland were delayed. The government shutdown has continued for 26 days at this point. Secretary of Transportation Sean Duffy previously addressed the shutdown and predicted what air traffic controllers have in store for them if it continues.
Duffy shared how the airport staff have “got a big, fat zero” as a paycheck waiting for them if the government continues to stay shut. “So I’ve been out talking to our air traffic controllers, and you can see the stress,” he shared in an interview on Fox News.
He also acknowledged how the staff are often people who live from paycheck to paycheck. He also noted that the paycheck might be their only way to support their families. “They’re concerned about gas in the car, childcare, and mortgages. So I’m seeing the stress come for the controllers,” he added.
The Secretary of Transportation explained that the delayed paychecks have forced many air traffic controllers to jump ship and seek employment elsewhere. He pointed out how around 2000 of them have already quit.
Duffy shared how the lack of controllers might force them to slow down traffic. He predicted that the decision would end up causing delays again. He justified the decision by noting how the top priority will always be to get people to their destinations safely.
