On Friday evening, Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy and Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin addressed the media at the White House regarding the nationwide ground stop issued by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA).
Duffy pointed out that the source of the issue lies with outdated technology that supports the air traffic control system. He highlighted that the system relies on old switches and routers operating on 1980s copper lines. “It’s very easy. We have old, old switches, old routers. We use 1980s little copper lines,” Duffy remarked.
He elaborated that these outdated switches became overloaded and started relaying inconsistent data, leading to a precautionary shutdown of the system. Duffy characterized the situation as a “legacy network problem” and urged Congress to allocate approximately $50 billion for comprehensive upgrades instead of making piecemeal repairs.
SEC. SEAN DUFFY JUST DROPPED:
"I can't BUILD THINGS if I DON'T HAVE MONEY!"
"Let's give the money to fix this very real problem!"
He needs $50 billion for a new FAA air traffic system and Congress should do it NOW.
Put it on the floor this month! pic.twitter.com/kaiT7NrXRx
— Eric Daugherty (@EricLDaugh) November 14, 2026
In response to questions about a potential cyberattack, Mullin stated, “We have seen zero evidence that this was a cyberattack or an AI attack,” he said.
Mullin reiterated that there are currently “no signs of a nefarious attack.” Instead, he reiterated that it is merely a telecommunication failure. When asked if a cyber intrusion can be ruled out entirely, Mullin acknowledged uncertainty, stating, “nothing is completely certain right now. It doesn’t appear that way.”
He noted that investigators, including those from the Department of Homeland Security, found no indications of intrusion or any online claims related to the outage.
Mullin also mentioned that there was no connection between this incident and a previous Microsoft outage. He assured the public that there were no safety concerns, insisting that “there was never any lives at risk” and that “this isn’t another 9/11.”
POLL: Will America Regret Giving The Democrats Power?
DOOCY: Can you say with 100% certainty this was NOT a cyber attack or rogue AI?
DHS… pic.twitter.com/UC783mKbWK
— Eric Daugherty (@EricLDaugh) November 14, 2026
Further details revealed during the briefing indicated that all flights were tracked, and planes already airborne were managed safely. International arrivals received priority as needed, with the FAA acting out of caution due to communication failures impacting air traffic control centers.
President Trump was briefed on the situation, and several agencies collaborated on the response. Mullin portrayed the incident as unprecedented but clarified it was a telecommunications issue, not a security threat.
The ground stop began shortly before 4 p.m. Eastern time on Friday, leading to a nationwide order for all departing flights to remain on the ground due to communication failure. After about five hours, the airspace was reopened around 8:15 p.m. as functionality was restored.
Operations resumed gradually, but Duffy cautioned that it wouldn’t mean immediate departures for all flights. Recovery may be sluggish as airlines address the disruptions.
Thousands of flights experienced delays or cancellations, with ongoing effects expected throughout the weekend as airlines work to manage the backlog. Travelers should check with their airlines for updates, as further delays may occur as normal capacity is restored.
