President Donald Trump, now 79 years old, has once again taken to social media with a fiery message during the ongoing government shutdown. In his trademark all-caps style, Trump praised some federal workers while harshly criticizing others, sparking outrage and confusion among staff.
The former president called air traffic controllers who continued working through the shutdown “GREAT PATRIOTS,” showering them with praise and promising them a $10,000 bonus for their loyalty. But his message quickly turned bitter as he attacked those who took time off, accusing them of being “complainers” and “disloyal.”
“All Air Traffic Controllers must get back to work, NOW!!!” Trump wrote early Monday morning, shortly after the Senate passed a temporary funding bill to keep the government open until January 30. “Anyone who doesn’t will be substantially ‘docked,’” he warned.
Trump’s online rant came as thousands of federal employees—including those at the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA)—were left unpaid during the shutdown. Instead of expressing sympathy for the struggling workers, Trump focused on applauding those who stayed on duty, saying they were standing up against what he called the “Democrat Shutdown Hoax.”
“For those Air Traffic Controllers who were GREAT PATRIOTS and didn’t take ANY TIME OFF, I will be recommending a BONUS of $10,000 per person,” Trump wrote. “For those that did nothing but complain, and took time off… I am NOT HAPPY WITH YOU.”
He didn’t stop there. Trump took another jab at his political opponents, accusing Democrats of intentionally causing the shutdown to “hurt our Country.” He also threatened workers who refused to return, saying, “Leave service… with NO payment or severance of any kind. You will be quickly replaced by true Patriots.”
In the same post, Trump claimed that his administration was ordering “Brand New State of the Art Equipment” for the FAA and mocked previous administrations for “having no idea what they were doing.”
The message came at a time when air travel was already being disrupted nationwide. FAA insiders revealed that many air traffic controllers were struggling to make ends meet without pay, with some taking temporary jobs as Uber drivers, delivery workers, or restaurant staff just to survive.
Trump ended his post with a patriotic flourish, writing, “To our great American Patriots, GOD BLESS YOU—I won’t be able to send your money fast enough!” But his closing line to everyone else was a clear threat: “REPORT TO WORK IMMEDIATELY.”
The White House has not yet issued any official comment on Trump’s remarks.
