WASHINGTON — The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) issued an indefinite nationwide ground stop for all departing flights across the United States on Friday afternoon following a widespread communications failure affecting the nation’s Air Route Traffic Control Centers.

Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy confirmed the halt on social media, stating that the agency grounded all U.S. airports due to a communication issue impacting all regional air traffic control facilities. "FAA technicians are investigating the issue," Duffy wrote on X. "We will provide immediate updates as we have them."

In an official advisory, the FAA cited "extraordinary circumstances and for reasons of safety" for the stoppage. While all domestic takeoffs have been halted until further notice, planes already in the air are permitted to continue safely to their destinations. Inbound international flights are being managed on a case-by-case basis.

No Sign of Cyberattack, Officials SaySpeaking at a news conference, Department of Homeland Security Director Markwayne Mullin sought to reassure travelers, stating that preliminary investigations point to a telecommunications outage rather than a security threat.

"There's no indication as of yet that this was a nefarious attack," Mullin told reporters. "Out of an abundance of caution, we have grounded all the flights. And all the flights are accounted for."

Widespread Travel DisruptionThe halt immediately triggered cascading delays across the U.S. aviation network, which handles more than 44,000 flights daily. According to flight-tracking service FlightAware, more than 9,000 flights within, into, or out of the United States had already been delayed on Friday, with over 600 cancellations reported as airlines worked to manage stranded aircraft and crews. Major carriers, including United Airlines and American Airlines, confirmed they are complying with the order and advised passengers to check their flight statuses before heading to the airport.

Historical ContextA full nationwide ground stop is an extraordinary measure in U.S. aviation. Friday's order marks only the third time in modern history that all departing U.S. flights have been halted simultaneously:

This is a developing story and will be updated as more information becomes available.