Move Follows Mid-Air Collision Near Reagan National Airport

President Donald Trump announced on Thursday January 30 the appointment of FAA deputy administrator Christopher Rocheleau to Acting Administrator following the mid-air collision over the Potomac River near Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport (KDCA) between an American Eagle passenger flight and a U.S. Army Black Hawk helicopter operating out of nearby Fort Belvoir, Virginia.

Rocheleau is a 22-year veteran of the agency during two separate stints beginning in 1996. In 2002 he left to be a senior policy advisor for the Transportation Security Administration for three years and then returned to the FAA until 2022 when he left to become the COO for the National Aviation Business Aviation Association. He then returned again to the FAA in January 2025 as deputy administrator.

Trump made the announcement to reporters in the White House briefing room: “I’m also immediately appointing an acting commissioner to the FAA, Christopher Rocheleau. A 22-year veteran of the agency, highly respected. Christopher, thank you very much, appreciate it.”

Trump had just thanked newly-confirmed Secretary of Transportation Sean Duffy for his work on the crash up to this point. He said, “We only have the highest standards for those who work in our aviation system.”

Trump placed blame for the crash on the Biden administration for aviation issues such as DEI efforts and specifically cited former Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg, saying: “Do you know how badly everything’s run since he’s run the department of Transportation?”

FMI:  www.whitehouse.gov/