Trump administration seeks $50 billion for air traffic control after hours-long ground stop

The Trump administration boosted its request for air traffic control funding to $50 billion late Friday after a communications issue forced a nationwide ground stop that halted thousands of flights for hours.Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy and the White House earlier on Friday asked for $30.1 billion to upgrade the United States' aging airports and air traffic control system."This is an emergency," Duffy said. "What's more important than having an air traffic control system that actually works?"The issue impacted the FAA's en route centers that handle traffic between airports. But the Republican-led Senate Commerce Committee said the incident highlights the need to prioritize modernizing those centers over other projects and noted Congress approved $1.9 billion to replace outdated en route centers.The world's most complex airspace has experienced a series of events in recent years that have disrupted flights and risked safety. In January 2025, a midair collision at Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport killed 67 people.Congress already approved $12.5 billion over five years in July 2025 to upgrade air traffic control and increase the hiring of controllers following complaints about airport ​congestion, flight delays, and technology ​problems.What the funding would pay forThe request from White House Office of Management and Budget Director Russell Vought and Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy seeks $10.1 billion for air traffic control modernization, including $7.2 billion for…