After consecutive, massive flight cancelations, Trump says US 'equivalent of a Third World Nation'

Former President Trump said Wednesday – after thousands of U.S. flights were cancelled in recent weeks, the country has commercial aviation problems because it's "the equivalent of a Third World Nation."

He made the comment on the Truth Social platform at about 10 a.m. ET – roughly an hour after the FAA allowed takeoffs to resume, after an overnight computer problem grounded air traffic throughout the morning.

"All flights have been canceled throughout the Good Ol’ USA due to incompetence and the fact that we are now living in the equivalent of a Third World Nation," Trump posted.

By midday, over 7,500 flights had been delayed in the United States and 1,100 had been canceled, according to FlightAware data. 

The FAA at about the same time said normal traffic operations were slowly resuming across the country, after the Notice to Air Missions system, which provides safety notifications to flight crews, went down overnight. 

"We continue to look into the cause of the initial problem," the agency said.

The incident comes just weeks after Southwest Airlines' software problems caused thousands of flight cancellations, with the company acknowledge the problems was in part the results of outdated technology. 

"I talk about our obsolete airports all the time at our big America First Rallies. We have no Borders, no Energy Independence (anymore!), no airports, no Nothing. We do have Massive Inflation, a Rotten Economy, and RIGGED ELECTIONS. MAKE AMERICA GREAT AGAIN!" Trump wrote, using his 2016, 2020 and 2024 campaign slogan.