Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy said Tuesday that the U.S. might be forced to close parts of its airspace if staffing shortages amid the government shutdown continue.

The shutdown, which is dragging into its second month, has meant that essential workers, including air traffic controllers , have been working without pay. This has led to a shortage of anywhere from 2,000 to 3,000 controllers , according to Duffy.

"So if you bring us to a week from today, Democrats, you will see mass chaos," Duffy said during a news briefing with the SEPTA rail system. "You will see mass flight delays. You’ll see mass cancellations, and you may see us close certain parts of the airspace because we just cannot manage it, because we don’t have the air traffic controllers."

Transportation Secretary S

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