President Donald Trump on Thursday tapped an aviation executive with decades of government experience to serve as temporary head of the Federal Aviation Administration. The move was announced hours after a passenger jet collided with an Army helicopter near Ronald Reagan National Airport, killing everyone aboard both aircraft.
Chris Rocheleau has spent nearly three years at the National Business Aviation Association, a trade group. Beforehand, he worked for more than two decades at the FAA and the Transportation Security Administration, where he was involved in responses to other high-profile disasters such as the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks.
Rocheleau has largely stayed out of the limelight, but in remarks a few years ago, he acknowledged the threat of global warming and the need to address its dangers. The viewpoint could put Rocheleau at odds with other members of the Trump administration; many of them have denied or downplayed the threat of a warming planet.
“Climate recognizes no borders, so our success or failure will depend on all of us coming together to explore global solutions,” he said during video remarks at a 2021 conference of African aviation officials.