Massive delays caused chaos for airline passengers yesterday, as the air traffic controller staffing crisis, exacerbated by the government shutdown, continued to worsen.
Vice President J.D. Vance has now warned of a looming “disaster” if the devastating government shutdown drags into November.
Some airports were even forced to order an entire ground stop for their services, according to reports.
Orlando International Airport, which regularly welcomes tourists heading to Disney World, was the hardest hit by the closures. According to an advisory board seen by The New York Times, no arriving flights were able to land for an extended period on Thursday, as there were “no certified traffic controllers available.”
Delays at Orlando’s airport averaged 2 hours and 40 minutes, with some lasting up to 12 hours.
Similar controller shortages also caused chaos for flight schedules at Ronald Reagan National Airport.
Air traffic controllers have been going without pay since Tuesday, as the holiday season approaches and worsening weather conditions lead to soaring household bills.
“A lot of our people can go through the miss of one paycheck,” Sean Duffy, the transportation secretary, added. “None of them can get through two paychecks.”
Meanwhile, Trump has ordered Republicans in Congress to “play their ‘TRUMP CARD’,” to eliminate the filibuster, prolonging the shutdown.
Ominously, Trump referred to this as the Republicans’ “Nuclear Option,” although it could present the GOP with major problems if they eventually lose power to the Democrats.
The filibuster is a Senate rule that requires 60 of the chamber’s 100 members to approve a piece of legislation for it to be signed into law. Since the Republicans hold a majority of 53-47, legislation can be stalled if Senators vote along party lines.
If the Republicans ditched this agreement and cashed in on the ability to force through bills, it would hand a massive amount of power to the Democrats, if they won the Senate in 2026, since they would be equally free to ignore the filibuster.
The filibuster is currently allowing the Democrats to block any bill proposed by the Republicans, in a bid to force the GOP to the negotiating table. The Democratic Party has said it will not approve any spending bill that includes cuts to Affordable Care Act subsidies.
They are also looking to reverse cuts to Medicaid, which were included in Trump’s Big, Beautiful Bill.
The shutdown has been ongoing for 31 days. The most extended government shutdown, which ended after 35 days, unfolded during Trump’s first term.
