President Donald Trump is once again using his social media to attack federal workers caught in the crossfire of Washington’s longest-ever shutdown. This time, his fury was aimed squarely at air traffic controllers, some of whom have been forced to take time off without pay.
“All Air Traffic Controllers must get back to work, NOW!!!” Trump wrote in a fiery Truth Social post Monday morning. “Anyone who doesn’t will be substantially ‘docked.’” The 79-year-old president didn’t stop there. In a move that mixed scolding with rewards, he promised to hand out $10,000 bonuses to what he called the “GREAT PATRIOTS” who stayed on the job.
“For those Air Traffic Controllers who were GREAT PATRIOTS, and didn’t take ANY TIME OFF for the ‘Democrat Shutdown Hoax,’ I will be recommending a BONUS of $10,000 per person,” he declared, adding, “For those that did nothing but complain, and took time off… I am NOT HAPPY WITH YOU.”
The outburst came just hours before the Senate approved a temporary funding deal that would keep the government open through the end of January. But Trump’s tone suggested he wasn’t in the mood to show sympathy. Instead of acknowledging the hardship faced by thousands of unpaid workers, many of whom have gone weeks without a paycheck, he praised the few who stayed on duty as heroes.
“True Patriots,” he called them, before turning his attention to the rest: “You will be quickly replaced by true Patriots,” he warned.
BREAKING: President Trump tells air traffic controllers to “get back to work, now” and says he will be recommending a bonus of $10,000 per person for air traffic controllers who “didn’t take any time off.” pic.twitter.com/M75FKjisMC
— The Kobeissi Letter (@KobeissiLetter) November 10, 2025
The post, like many of Trump’s trademark social media eruptions, came in all caps, filled with exclamation points, and included a few swipes at Democrats. He accused them of engineering the shutdown “to hurt our Country” and vowed that disloyal workers would “leave service… with NO payment or severance of any kind.”
The rant followed days of major disruption at major airports. The FAA, stretched thin by staff shortages, announced it was cutting flight capacity at dozens of airports nationwide. Thousands of flights have been delayed or canceled, leaving passengers frustrated and airlines scrambling. According to reports from Reuters, some air traffic controllers have taken second jobs driving for Uber or delivering food just to make ends meet while waiting for their paychecks.
Rather than express concern, Trump insisted his administration was “ordering Brand New State of the Art Equipment” for the FAA, claiming the previous White House had “no idea what they were doing.”
In his final flourish, Trump returned to the theme of loyalty. “To our great American Patriots, GOD BLESS YOU — I won’t be able to send your money fast enough!” he wrote. For everyone else, the message was clear and simple: “REPORT TO WORK IMMEDIATELY.”
Critics blasted the post as tone-deaf, noting that many federal workers have been struggling to pay rent and buy groceries. Unions representing air traffic controllers have pleaded for an end to the shutdown, warning that fatigue and low morale could jeopardize aviation safety.
Still, Trump’s message captured the essence of his leadership style: reward loyalty, punish dissent, and never apologize. Whether those promised bonuses ever materialize remains to be seen.
