Biden admin claims FAA system failure shows 'no evidence of a cyber attack'

The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA)'s computer system faced massive outages Tuesday night and Wednesday morning, forcing thousands of US flights to be delayed or canceled. The Biden administration reported that it wasn't a cyber attack, but that they also have no idea as to what's going on.

The system, called the Notice to Air Missions, or NOTAM, which pilots are required to consult before taking off, lists potential adverse impacts on flights. By 11 am Wednesday, 1,000 flights were canceled and more than 6,000 were delayed, according to the flight tracking website FlightAware.



While travelers and airlines scrambled to get where they needed to be and to figure out what was causing the system failure, the Biden administration provided no concrete answers.

"I just spoke to Buttigieg. They don't know what the cause is. But I was on the phone with him about 10 minutes," President Joe Biden said this morning to reporters outside of the White House. "I told him to report directly to me when they find out. Air traffic can still land safely, just not take off right now. We don’t know what the cause of it is."

White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said that there is "no evidence of a cyberattack at this point," but that a full investigation will be conducted.

Secretary of Transportation Pete Buttigieg after speaking with Biden, announced that the outage had been restored, though the "root causes" are still unknown.

"You are the root cause," the Libertarian Party of New Hampshire replied.

"The after-action process should start with your resignation," grassroots group Tea Party Patriots chimed in with.

Commentator Charles R. Downs pointed out the similarities between national flight cancellations happening under Buttigieg, who was the mayor of South Bend, Indiana, to when pizza chain Dominos stepped in to pay for pothole repairs in his town's public roads.