In a revelation that has stirred alarm among national security circles and outrage among millions of Americans, it has been confirmed that the direct hotline between the Pentagon and the control tower at Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport (DCA) has been out of service since March 2022 — for more than three consecutive years. The confirmation came from Franklin McIntosh, a senior official at the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), during an oversight hearing led by Senator Ted Cruz, current chairman of the Senate committee on aviation and transportation.
The exchange was brief but damning. When Cruz asked:
“Is it true that the direct line between the Pentagon, air traffic control, and the DCA tower has been inoperative since March 2022?”
McIntosh’s response was clear:
“Yes, sir, that is correct.”
This revelation — hidden from public knowledge throughout the entire Biden administration — is not just a technical glitch. It is a systemic failure and a gross act of negligence in the chain of command and national airspace security management. The direct line between the Pentagon and DCA is a critical part of the defense communication protocol in Washington, D.C., one of the most restricted and strategically sensitive airspaces in the world.
A Critical Lifeline Cut Off
This hotline is not an optional feature — it exists to coordinate rapid responses to aerial threats, unauthorized airspace breaches, or potential hijackings near the nation’s capital. In a city where the executive, legislative, and judicial leaders of the free world reside, every second matters.
A three-year outage of this direct communication with the Pentagon is not merely a technical failure — it is a strategic disaster willfully ignored.
Biden and Buttigieg to Blame
FAA official Franklin McIntosh also confirmed that this issue was never properly addressed by the Biden administration, including former Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg. Both Biden and Buttigieg — whose lack of experience in matters of national security has long been questioned — completely neglected a critical defense tool.
For over three years, neither the Biden White House nor Buttigieg’s Department of Transportation notified Congress or the American public of the outage. No press conference, no Pentagon alert, no serious repair efforts. Total silence.
This raises a chilling question: What other security breakdowns were hidden during those years? And worse: were there threats that went unaddressed due to this severed link?
A Stark Contrast with Trump’s Administration
Since President Donald J. Trump returned to office in 2025, he has repeatedly declared that “America’s security is non-negotiable.” This incident confirms what many Americans already suspected: The Biden administration prioritized political ideology over the safety of the American people.
During his first term, Trump emphasized border control, military modernization, and investing in cyber and air defense infrastructure. None of that momentum was maintained under Biden. Instead, Biden left behind a trail of bureaucratic decay, neglect, and reckless indifference.
Trump’s leadership ensured that defense communications were strengthened and protocols were followed. The contrast could not be clearer.
Political Fallout and Demand for Accountability
Senator Ted Cruz has announced a formal investigation into who allowed this critical hotline to remain offline without correction or disclosure. “It’s unthinkable that in the heart of our nation’s capital, a key line of defense communication with the Pentagon was left broken. This is administrative treason by omission,” Cruz said.
He also called for public hearings involving McIntosh, senior FAA officials, and former Secretary Buttigieg to explain why nothing was done.
“This isn’t just technical failure — it’s a national betrayal,” added Senator Josh Hawley, who supports the investigation.
What If There Had Been an Emergency?
Military analysts are already warning that if an event similar to 9/11 had occurred during those years, the consequences could have been catastrophic. “This line exists precisely to prevent disaster. Without it, we’re flying blind,” said former Air Force intelligence officer Michael DeWitt.
In a country that has spent billions on counterterrorism and defense systems, allowing such a basic communication channel to go dark for years is, at best, a national disgrace.
The American People Demand Answers
The news has ignited social media. Hundreds of thousands are expressing their outrage with the hashtag #PentagonHotlineFail, demanding that those responsible be held accountable. Many are calling for a full audit of all defense communications systems inherited from the Biden administration to ensure there are no more hidden failures.
President Trump has already ordered a nationwide audit of critical inter-agency communications, reaffirming his promise to “make EE.UU. truly safe again.”
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