Trump Removes NTSB Vice Chair Amid Aviation Crisis

Alvin Brown, a Democrat and the first Black mayor of Jacksonville, Florida, was removed as vice chair of the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) by the Trump administration, reportedly becoming the first board member ousted in modern NTSB history. Brown was appointed to the NTSB in March 2024 by President Biden and elevated to vice chair in December. He was blocked from entering his office and escorted in, with his biography quickly removed from the agency's website. The White House confirmed his dismissal without providing a reason, and Brown did not comment. Brown's removal is part of President Trump's broader effort to dismiss Democratic appointees from independent agencies since January. The action occurs amid public scrutiny over U.S. aviation safety following a deadly January collision between an Army helicopter and a regional jet, and continuing air traffic control and technology problems, especially at Newark Airport.