NTSB Executive Appointments & Leadership Moves North America Aviation Safety & Regulation Policy & Regulation

Senate confirms Daniel Edwards as DOT assistant secretary for aviation and international affairs; Michael Graham returns to the

The U.S. Senate confirmed Daniel Edwards as Department of Transportation assistant secretary for aviation and international affairs, and Michael Graham for another five-year term on the National Transportation Safety Board. Aviation stakeholders including NBAA, NATA, and VAI publicly welcomed both confirmations.

Discovered 2026-05-18T15:54:02.607688-07:00 | 2026-05-18T15:54:02.607688-07:00

Briefing

What Hype is tracking

These confirmations install senior leadership at two key aviation oversight nodes—DOT aviation/international policy via Edwards and accident investigation and safety board governance via Graham—shaping near-term regulatory and safety priorities.
Graham’s return builds on prior NTSB leadership continuity, following his earlier move to vice chairman (see Michael Graham named NTSB vice chairman for three-year term).
The appointments signal how the administration is staffing the aviation oversight pipeline after a Senate vote covering broader Trump nominees for rail, maritime, and aviation oversight.

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GlobalAir.com AINonline dommagazine.com Vertical Mag NBAA news.bgov.com