Luke Vargas

Jonathan Stewart took stress-related trauma leave after the incident, a benefit available for controllers. He said his colleagues aren't to blame for recent delays and disruptions in and out of Newark and pushed back against a recent letter to customers from United Airlines CEO Scott Kirby that said the airline canceled flights after controllers, quote, walked off the job.

Jonathan Stewart took stress-related trauma leave after the incident, a benefit available for controllers. He said his colleagues aren't to blame for recent delays and disruptions in and out of Newark and pushed back against a recent letter to customers from United Airlines CEO Scott Kirby that said the airline canceled flights after controllers, quote, walked off the job.

A United spokesman pointed to Kirby's more recent statements calling for better equipment and working conditions for air traffic controllers. The FAA said it's pursuing short and long-term fixes for controllers who oversee Newark airspace, including installing a temporary backup telecommunications system, more reliable connections, and a new radar system based in Philadelphia.

A United spokesman pointed to Kirby's more recent statements calling for better equipment and working conditions for air traffic controllers. The FAA said it's pursuing short and long-term fixes for controllers who oversee Newark airspace, including installing a temporary backup telecommunications system, more reliable connections, and a new radar system based in Philadelphia.

And you can hear the full interview with Jonathan Stewart in today's episode of The Journal Podcast, wherever you listen. And we are exclusively reporting that just two weeks ahead of hurricane season, the newly appointed chief of the Federal Emergency Management Agency doesn't yet have a fully formed disaster response plan.

And you can hear the full interview with Jonathan Stewart in today's episode of The Journal Podcast, wherever you listen. And we are exclusively reporting that just two weeks ahead of hurricane season, the newly appointed chief of the Federal Emergency Management Agency doesn't yet have a fully formed disaster response plan.

David Richardson acknowledged as much in private meetings and has told staff he'd share a hurricane plan with Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem after he completes it late next week.

David Richardson acknowledged as much in private meetings and has told staff he'd share a hurricane plan with Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem after he completes it late next week.

The agency has been struggling with a steep decline in its workforce, turmoil in its upper ranks, and no clear direction about the future of the agency, according to more than a half dozen current FEMA employees and documents reviewed by the journal. President Trump signed an executive order in January that established a FEMA review council to overhaul the agency.

The agency has been struggling with a steep decline in its workforce, turmoil in its upper ranks, and no clear direction about the future of the agency, according to more than a half dozen current FEMA employees and documents reviewed by the journal. President Trump signed an executive order in January that established a FEMA review council to overhaul the agency.

Coming up, we'll get the latest from White House reporter Alex Leary in the United Arab Emirates as President Trump winds down a four-day trip to the Middle East. And we'll hear about how the Trump administration is targeting the EU's rules protecting online users in defense of free speech. Those stories after the break.

Coming up, we'll get the latest from White House reporter Alex Leary in the United Arab Emirates as President Trump winds down a four-day trip to the Middle East. And we'll hear about how the Trump administration is targeting the EU's rules protecting online users in defense of free speech. Those stories after the break.

President Trump is making his way back to the U.S. today after a four-day visit to the Middle East, punctuated by announcements of investment deals, arms sales, and new diplomatic openings. Journal White House reporter Alex Leary is in Abu Dhabi.

President Trump is making his way back to the U.S. today after a four-day visit to the Middle East, punctuated by announcements of investment deals, arms sales, and new diplomatic openings. Journal White House reporter Alex Leary is in Abu Dhabi.

Alex, the thing that stood out from this trip seems to be the extent to which we could really see Trump's closeness with Arab rulers, something you and your colleagues really drew a line under in your reporting in the last few days. Why did you think that's so important?

Alex, the thing that stood out from this trip seems to be the extent to which we could really see Trump's closeness with Arab rulers, something you and your colleagues really drew a line under in your reporting in the last few days. Why did you think that's so important?

These rulers all seem to follow somewhat of a similar playbook, did they not, in how they negotiated with Trump? What did that actually get these Arab countries? And second, might that set a tone that you'll be watching as we look to see how others engage with Trump after this trip?

These rulers all seem to follow somewhat of a similar playbook, did they not, in how they negotiated with Trump? What did that actually get these Arab countries? And second, might that set a tone that you'll be watching as we look to see how others engage with Trump after this trip?

I'm curious, since you've been traveling in close proximity to the whole Trump team this week, to what extent has the political blowback that we reported on coming from Washington over this perceived transactionalism with these Arab leaders, notably as it relates to the Qatar potential gift of a $400 million plane to be used as Air Force One, did that change? sort of register with his team?

I'm curious, since you've been traveling in close proximity to the whole Trump team this week, to what extent has the political blowback that we reported on coming from Washington over this perceived transactionalism with these Arab leaders, notably as it relates to the Qatar potential gift of a $400 million plane to be used as Air Force One, did that change? sort of register with his team?