Trump Removes Biden-Appointed NTSB Vice Chair Amid Board Shake-Up and Aviation Woes

Shake-up Alert: The Trump administration has ousted Alvin Brown, the vice chair of the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB), a move confirmed by the White House on Tuesday. Brown, a Democrat and former mayor of Jacksonville, Florida, was appointed to the NTSB by President Biden back in March 2024 and elevated to vice chair in December 2024—just a month before President Trump retook office. For anyone keeping score, that's one short-lived stint at the top.

The NTSB, the nation's watchdog over major transportation disasters, is now down to four board members, each one handpicked by Trump across his two administrations. The current roster features Chair Jennifer L. Homendy, Michael Graham, Thomas B. Chapman, and J. Todd Inman. With this line-up, the board's political winds have definitely shifted.

Brown's résumé boasts a historic run as Jacksonville's first Black mayor from 2011 to 2015, and a recent senior advisory role at the Department of Transportation. But in the world of D.C. appointments, even heavyweights can find themselves out with the old White House wallpaper.

The NTSB has been busy lately, investigating a string of high-profile air accidents—including a tragic collision on January 29 near Washington, D.C. that claimed 67 lives, and several other notable crashes. If that wasn't enough turbulence, recent days have seen air travel snarled by delays, with Newark Liberty International Airport even losing communication with planes for a bit. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy popped up on TV to promise a full-scale overhaul of America's aging air traffic control system. "We’re bringing on new air traffic controllers," Duffy said, aiming to fix a problem that, let's face it, has been on the runway for decades.

As the dust settles, the focus remains on safety and modernization. But in classic Washington fashion, the biggest shake-ups sometimes happen off the runway—like the sudden ejection of a vice chair. You have to wonder if NTSB board meetings now come with a seatbelt sign.