Does Trump have authority over certifying aircraft?
I’m a CBC News correspondent in Washington, D.C.
It’s often said that the president of the United States is the most powerful person in the world.
That power, however, does not extend to certifying whether aircraft are safe to fly. As mentioned below, the FAA is the body responsible for aircraft safety.
Trump nominated both the FAA’s administrator, Bryan Bedford, and Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy. So far, Duffy’s only public comment on Trump’s decertification threat was to re-post it with a U.S. flag between two airplane emojis.
It’s unclear that any executive order from Trump to decertify specific aircraft would hold any legal power.
I asked the FAA’s press office this morning whether it is moving to decertify any Canadian-made aircraft. Their response in full: “Please contact the White House.”
CBC News has in fact contacted the White House. We’re waiting to hear back.
