Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy says the FAA has hired more than 2,000 new air traffic controllers as the Trump administration’s push to recruit gamers helps accelerate hiring.

Sean Duffy Calls Hiring Push ‘Game Changer’

On Sunday, Duffy took to the social media platform X, sharing that the DOT had achieved “historic” results after pushing to hire gamers as air traffic controllers, calling the move a “game changer” for the agency. “94% of hiring goal met — fastest time ever to reach target,” he said.

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Duffy added that in addition to the more than 2,000 candidates hired, an additional 2,000+ candidates reached “the Academy quicker than any class before them.” “We’re building the strongest, sharpest workforce in aviation history,” the Transportation Secretary said in the post.

Introduced back in April this year, the agency had said it received over 12,000 applications via the program within 24 hours of its launch, with 11,000 applicants already being qualified, Duffy had said.

The administration was also earlier seeking to hire an additional 2,300 trainee air traffic controllers following multiple setbacks faced by the aviation industry due to Federal government shutdowns over agency funding issues, the ongoing Iran war and more.

The FAA has grappled with workforce woes, with last year’s government shutdown resulting in workers being forced to work without pay for several days. Transportation Security Administration (TSA) agents, too, faced paycheck uncertainty earlier this year.

FAA Orders Boeing Probe

The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) recently launched a probe into Boeing Co.‘s (NYSE:BA) 737 Family of aircraft after receiving reports of fuselage cracks in some units of the 737-8, 737-8200 and 737-9 aircraft. “The FAA estimates that this AD affects 471 airplanes,” the agency said in a statement.

Boeing is also tasked with upgrading the Air Force One fleet with the VC-25B aircraft. Boeing Defense CEO Steve Parker had earlier said that the aircraft are on track for a 2028 delivery timeline, but warned of additional costs.

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