Trump White House Fires Biden‑Appointed NTSB Member Todd Inman With No Public Explanation
The White House has removed NTSB member Todd Inman, a Biden appointee who occupied a statutory Republican seat and whose term was not set to expire until the end of next year; Inman says he received no public explanation for his firing. Inman was the on‑duty board member at the Jan. 29, 2025 Reagan National midair collision—first on scene and a forceful questioner of FAA officials—and his ouster follows the earlier firing of NTSB Vice Chair Alvin Brown, who is suing to regain his post amid a pending Supreme Court case over presidential removal powers; John DeLeeuw was recently confirmed to the seat vacated when Brown was fired.
📌 Key Facts
- Todd Inman, a Biden‑appointed NTSB member, says he received no reason from the White House for his termination.
- Inman occupied one of the NTSB seats that statute reserves for a Republican and his term was not scheduled to expire until the end of next year.
- Inman was the on‑duty NTSB board member for the January 29, 2025 midair collision at Reagan National: he was first on scene and was a forceful interrogator of FAA officials, at times challenging NTSB Chair Jennifer Homendy.
- Inman’s ouster follows the earlier firing of NTSB Vice Chair Alvin Brown, who is suing to regain his position; the dispute’s resolution may be influenced by a pending Supreme Court case over the president’s power to remove independent commissioners.
- John DeLeeuw, a longtime American Airlines executive, was just confirmed to the board seat that became vacant when Trump fired Alvin Brown.
📊 Relevant Data
Alvin Brown and Robert Primus were the only Black board members on the NTSB and STB, respectively, at the time of their firings by the Trump administration.
President Donald Trump accused of discrimination when firing Black men from transportation boards — AP News
The removal of NTSB Vice Chair Alvin Brown in May 2025 marked the first time in modern history that a White House has fired an NTSB board member mid-term.
Trump removes Biden-appointed NTSB vice chair as airport chaos escalates — Denver Gazette
📰 Source Timeline (2)
Follow how coverage of this story developed over time
- Confirms via Inman’s own statement that he has received no reason for his termination from the White House.
- Clarifies that Inman occupied one of the NTSB seats reserved by statute for a Republican member and that his term was not set to expire until the end of next year.
- Details Inman’s role in the January 29, 2025 midair collision investigation at Reagan National, noting he was the on‑duty board member, first on scene, and a forceful interrogator of FAA officials who at times challenged NTSB Chair Jennifer Homendy.
- Links Inman’s ouster to the earlier firing of NTSB Vice Chair Alvin Brown and notes Brown is suing to regain his position, with the outcome likely shaped by a pending Supreme Court case on the president’s power to fire independent commissioners.
- Reports that John DeLeeuw, a longtime American Airlines executive, was just confirmed to the board seat vacated when Trump fired Alvin Brown.