Grounded by Politics: How Trump Turned Air Traffic Controllers Into Pawns in His Power Game

A shutdown, a threat, and the workers keeping America in the air while their own paychecks vanish.

The Threat Heard Around the Towers

Donald Trump didn’t just throw a tantrum this week. He threatened the people who keep America in the air. In one all-caps social-media outburst, he barked, “All Air Traffic Controllers must get back to work, NOW!!!” and warned that anyone who didn’t would be “substantially docked.” He piled on with an even uglier line: …