FAA administrator Whitaker to step down on Jan. 20

The head of the Federal Aviation Administration who has overseen the agency's response to significant safety issues at Boeing since a mid-air emergency in January will step down on Jan. 20, the agency said Thursday.

FAA Administrator Mike Whitaker, who was confirmed to a five-year term in October 2023, will depart when President-elect Donald Trump takes office. The FAA also said Deputy Administrator Katie Thomson will step down on Jan. 10, which will mean Mark House, the agency's assistant administrator for finance and management, will be the agency's senior acting official during the transition.

Last week, Whitaker told Reuters he was unsure if he would stay beyond Jan. 20 as conversations with the transition team continued.

"As I conclude my time at the FAA, my confidence in you to meet our safety mission has never been stronger," Whitaker said.