Democracy Forward has filed two lawsuits on behalf of two Black men whom President Donald Trump fired from the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) and the U.S. Surface Transportation Board (STB).
Robert Primus on the STB and Alvin Brown on the NTSB were the only Black board members overseeing the agencies when they were terminated in August and in May. Both had already filed lawsuits challenging the firings. Both lawsuits said the White House didn’t have good cause, as the law requires.
The new lawsuits filed on Dec 4 accuse the administration of discriminating against them as part of a pattern of dismissing Black leadership in the government.
“Mr. Brown’s firing fits within a pattern of the Trump Administration disproportionately removing Black government officials, and particularly presidentially appointed and Senate-confirmed Board members of independent multimember agencies,” the lawsuit filed on behalf of Alvin Brown states.
The lawsuit also highlights that 75% of Black federal officials leading multimember agencies have been removed from office under the Trump administration, compared to approximately 27% of white federal officials.
When Brown was fired, insiders say they couldn’t recall anyone ever being dismissed from the NTSB. The agency investigates major accidents across all modes of transportation to determine their causes and makes recommendations to prevent similar tragedies. The NTSB is currently reviewing nearly 1,250 cases, including the collision of a passenger plane and an Army helicopter near Reagan Airport that killed 67 people in January 2025.
Primus lost his position on the STB shortly after Union Pacific proposed its $85 billion acquisition of Norfolk Southern Railway, a deal the board will consider approving within the next two years. He was the only member of the STB to oppose Canadian Pacific’s acquisition of Kansas City Southern Railway, citing concerns about its impact on competition. In contrast, Trump supports the acquisition.The White House said Trump was within his legal rights to fire the two men and claimed
that their terminations were based on their performance and not racial bias. The administration has not filed a formal response to Primus’ lawsuit, but it has asked a judge to dismiss Brown’s lawsuit.RELATED CONTENT: San Antonio Confirms Status As U.S. Dia De Los Muertos Epicenter After Record Festival