President Trump has declared the nationwide FAA ground stop a national emergency, according to the Homeland Security Secretary, Markwayne Mullin, who is calling on Congress to fund a modernised air traffic control system.
Mullin spoke at a White House briefing on Friday evening alongside the Transportation Secretary, Sean Duffy. A Department of Homeland Security release dated 13 November quotes him as saying:
"The President has declared this a national emergency, and now we have to have Congress act and fund it."
He added: "This is what happens when Congress kicks the can down the road."
The DHS release says the ground stop followed "a temporary telecommunications outage". Mullin said there was "zero evidence" of a cyberattack and described the outdated air traffic control system as a national security risk. He said DHS, CISA and the NSA were among the agencies involved.
GeekWire, citing AeroTime, reports that the administration has asked Congress for an additional $30.1bn for aviation infrastructure.
UK Fact Check has not found a formal presidential proclamation or executive order declaring the emergency. For now the claim rests on Mullin's word.