White House Says It Fired Ntsb Member Over Misconduct, But Todd Inman Denies Allegations

The White House said it fired a National Transportation Safety Board personnel aft reports of drinking connected nan occupation and harassing staff, but Todd Inman flatly denied nan allegations Monday and said he plans to conflict back.

Inman revealed Sunday that he had been fired connected Friday without explanation, though his word connected nan committee was expected to proceed done nan extremity of 2027. President Trump’s management said Monday that it believes nan firing is justified.

“The White House lawfully removed Todd Inman from nan NTSB aft receiving highly concerning reports of inappropriate intoxicant usage connected nan job, harassment of staff, misuse of authorities resources, and nonaccomplishment to be astatine slightest half of NTSB meetings,” White House spokesperson Kush Desai said. “The Trump management remains committed to maintaining information and information for Americans successful nan aerial and connected nan ground.”

Inman said Monday that he hadn’t initially planned to writer complete his firing, but now says, “I look guardant to defending my estimation done each ineligible intends possible.”

“I categorically contradict nan allegations made successful nan White House statement. It has go progressively evident this action was a governmental deed job,” said Inman, a Republican who was appointed successful March 2024 during erstwhile President Biden’s administration.

After Inman’s firing and nan unexpected dismissal successful May of Vice Chair Alvin Brown, a Democrat appointed by Biden, nan NTSB lists only 3 members connected its website. But nan U.S. Senate precocious confirmed American Airlines executive John DeLeeuw, and he will go nan 4th personnel of nan committee that investigates awesome crashes of planes, trains and automobiles arsenic good arsenic pipeline incidents. The NTSB is presently investigating much than 1,000 cases and will make recommendations connected really to forestall akin tragedies erstwhile it releases its last reports.

“President Trump has made clear that restoring an accountable authorities workforce is simply a apical privilege of his Administration. The NTSB has upheld this modular since we were established successful 1967,” a spokesperson for nan agency said successful a statement. “The NTSB’s workforce upholds nan highest master standards, is simply a responsible guardian of nationalist resources, and safeguards nan integrity of its investigations.”

Inman was nan lead committee personnel connected segment aft past year’s midair collision adjacent Washington that killed 67 group aft an airliner collided pinch a U.S. Army Black Hawk helicopter. He besides oversaw nan first investigation of nan clang of a UPS cargo level successful Kentucky that killed 15 group successful November.

Before past year, it was highly different for committee members astatine independent agencies to beryllium dismissed. However, Trump has fired members of nan Federal Reserve Board, nan Surface Transportation Board, nan Equal Employment Opportunity Commission and nan Nuclear Regulatory Commission to clear nan measurement for his ain appointees.

The five-member NTSB is expected to beryllium divided among 3 members of nan president’s statement and 2 members of nan different party. After Inman’s firing and nan summation of DeLeeuw, nan committee will beryllium divided evenly, 2-2, betwixt nan parties, and Trump will beryllium capable to name a 3rd Republican.

Brown and Robert Primus, who served connected nan U.S. Surface Transportation Board, were nan only Black committee members overseeing their respective independent agencies erstwhile they were fired past year. Both person challenged their firings successful court, and nan ineligible services group Democracy Forward has revenge favoritism claims connected nan men’s behalf.

Funk writes for nan Associated Press.