Trump White House Says NTSB Member Todd Inman Fired for Alleged Misconduct, Which He Denies
The White House announced it removed Republican NTSB member Todd Inman, alleging “highly concerning reports” including alcohol use on the job, harassment of staff, misuse of government resources and failure to attend many meetings; Inman — the on‑duty board member who responded to the Jan. 29, 2025 Reagan National midair collision and often spoke for the agency — categorically denies the claims, says he was given no reason for his termination, calls it a “political hit job,” and says he will fight the firing. The ouster follows earlier Trump removals of independent‑board members (including NTSB Vice Chair Alvin Brown, who is suing) and leaves the NTSB temporarily reduced in membership as the board’s partisan balance shifts amid the recent confirmation of John DeLeeuw.
📌 Key Facts
- The White House removed Republican NTSB member J. Todd Inman; White House spokesman Kush Desai said the action followed “highly concerning reports” including alleged alcohol use on the job, harassment of staff, misuse of government resources, and failure to attend at least half of NTSB meetings.
- Inman has categorically denied the allegations, called the firing a “political hit job,” said he will fight the removal by “all legal means possible,” and — according to his statement reported by the New York Times — has received no formal reason for his termination from the White House.
- Inman held one of the board seats statutorily reserved 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 Jan. 29, 2025 midair collision at Reagan National: he was first on the scene, heavily involved in interrogating FAA officials, and frequently represented the agency at news conferences after the deadly American Airlines crash.
- The ouster follows earlier Trump removals of NTSB Vice Chair Alvin Brown (who is suing to regain his position) and other board changes; John DeLeeuw, a longtime American Airlines executive, was confirmed to the seat vacated when Brown was fired.
- With Inman’s firing and pending board changes, the NTSB is down to three listed members; the board’s partisan balance will be 2‑2 once DeLeeuw arrives, and the administration could appoint an additional Republican to reshape the panel.
- The removals are part of a broader pattern of the Trump administration removing members from independent agencies (including the Federal Reserve Board, Surface Transportation Board, EEOC and Nuclear Regulatory Commission); Brown and another fired member, Robert Primus, are already challenging their removals in court, and legal outcomes may be affected by a pending Supreme Court case about the president’s power to fire independent commissioners.
📊 Relevant Data
Under the Trump administration, firings from independent agencies such as the NTSB and STB have included the only Black board members overseeing those agencies, with allegations of racial discrimination in lawsuits filed by the affected individuals.
Black men who were fired accuse Trump of a pattern of discrimination — Boston Herald
The Trump administration has fired multiple Black officials from top jobs at government agencies and independent boards, contributing to an overwhelmingly White cabinet and administration.
Trump Fires Black Officials From an Overwhelmingly White Administration — The New York Times
Agencies with majority women and minority workforces have been among the hardest hit by staff cuts under the Trump administration.
Agencies with majority women and minority workforces are some of the hardest hit in Trump staff cuts, new report finds — Government Executive
📰 Source Timeline (4)
Follow how coverage of this story developed over time
- The mini‑report notes that the White House fired Republican NTSB member J. Todd Inman following reports of him drinking on the job “among other alleged misconduct,” language that tracks but slightly reinforces the earlier description of alcohol‑related allegations.
- It adds that Inman "frequently represented the organization during news conferences after the deadly American Airlines crash in D.C. last year," tying him more explicitly to that high‑profile investigation.
- Inman is quoted via The Washington Post calling the firing a “political hit job,” emphasizing his framing of the removal as partisan retaliation.
- White House spokesman Kush Desai now publicly claims Inman was removed after "highly concerning reports" of inappropriate alcohol use on the job, harassment of staff, misuse of government resources, and failure to attend at least half of NTSB meetings.
- Inman has issued a detailed response, categorically denying all allegations, calling the move a "political hit job," and stating he now plans to fight the firing through "all legal means possible."
- The article notes that after Inman’s firing and the earlier dismissal of Vice Chair Alvin Brown, the NTSB is down to three listed members pending the arrival of newly confirmed American Airlines executive John DeLeeuw, and explains that the board’s partisan balance will now be 2‑2 with Trump able to appoint a third Republican.
- The piece situates Inman’s ouster within a broader pattern of Trump firing members of other independent boards (Federal Reserve Board, Surface Transportation Board, EEOC, Nuclear Regulatory Commission) and notes that Brown and another fired Black board member, Robert Primus, are already challenging their removals in court.
- 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.