Trump Administration Abruptly Removes Vice Chair Of The NTSB

By Lori Aratani and Ian Duncan

The Trump administration Tuesday abruptly removed Alvin Brown from his role as vice chair of the National Transportation Safety Board.

Three sources with knowledge of the situation who were not authorized to speak publicly confirmed that Brown, the only Black member on the five-person board, had been removed. However, the reason for his dismissal is unclear. Brown did not respond to requests for comment. The NTSB declined to comment and referred all calls to the White House, which confirmed Brown’s dismissal but did not give a reason.

Sources said that Brown’s access to NTSB’s offices was blocked Tuesday morning but that he was later escorted into the building. His biography had been removed from the agency’s website Tuesday.

The decision to remove Brown took some safety experts by surprise.

“This is the first time in modern history that the White House has removed a board member,” said Jeff Guzzetti, an aviation safety consultant and former Federal Aviation Administration and NTSB investigator.

News of Brown’s removal was first reported by Reuters.

Brown, a Biden appointee and former mayor of Jacksonville, Florida, was just over a year into his five-year term on the board of the independent agency charged with investigating transportation accidents. He was sworn in as a member of the board in March 2024 and was elevated to vice chair in December.

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