Mike Whitaker, who served as the head of the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) during the Biden administration, stepped down from his position ahead of the new administration, leaving the agency without a key leader during a critical time in aviation history. Whitaker's departure, announced in December, came well before the end of his term, which began in October 2023.
One of the notable points during Whitaker's tenure was his clash with SpaceX CEO Elon Musk over the FAA's oversight of rocket launches. Musk had called for Whitaker's resignation following tough questioning by Congress regarding the agency's oversight of SpaceX.
