FnF News
FNF News | Business & Government Oversight
Published: June 27, 2025
By: Khadija Khan, Investigative Business Correspondent
Senate Grills Boeing Whistleblower in Explosive Hearing on Safety, Sabotage, and Corporate Retaliation
Washington, D.C. — In a Senate hearing that quickly escalated into one of the most dramatic confrontations between corporate America and Congress in recent years, Boeing whistleblower Sam Salehpour testified under oath about a pattern of alleged safety shortcuts, quality-control negligence, and retaliation inside the embattled aerospace giant. The hearing, streamed live on YouTube (link here), captivated millions across the country.
“What I saw wasn’t a glitch. It was sabotage. Systemic,” Salehpour declared before a stunned Senate subcommittee.
Salehpour, a quality engineer at Boeing for more than a decade, accused the company of prioritizing production speed and cost over aircraft safety, specifically in the assembly of its 787 Dreamliner and 777 jets. He alleged that internal complaints were suppressed, data was falsified, and engineers who questioned decisions were pushed out or sidelined.
Senators Respond with Fury
The hearing room erupted when Senator Josh Hawley (R-MO) interrupted Boeing’s legal counsel mid-response.
“You can spin this any way you like, but the American people’s lives were in the air while your executives cashed their bonuses,” Hawley thundered. “This isn’t oversight. It’s a cover-up.”
Senator Richard Blumenthal (D-CT), who chairs the Permanent Subcommittee on Investigations, called the hearing “only the beginning” and signaled subpoenas may soon follow for current and former Boeing executives.
Disturbing Allegations: Gaps, Gimmicks, and Ghost Warnings
Among the most damning claims in Salehpour’s testimony:
- He said he observed workers at Boeing skipping required inspections to meet production deadlines.
- In some cases, gaps in fuselage fittings were “stuffed” with shims rather than properly re-aligned.
- He described a culture of fear, where engineers were told to “fall in line or fall out.”
- Safety flags in digital systems were deleted or overridden to green-light suspect components.
These revelations come on the heels of multiple incidents involving Boeing aircraft, including a January emergency on an Alaska Airlines flight where a panel detached mid-flight.
Boeing Denies, But Lawmakers Aren’t Buying It
In an official statement, Boeing denied Salehpour’s allegations, calling them “misleading and unverified.” The company pointed to a recent FAA review that concluded its production lines met regulatory thresholds.
However, that hasn’t stopped bipartisan outrage.
“If a car manufacturer cut corners like this, they’d be in jail,” said Senator Elizabeth Warren (D-MA). “Why should aerospace be different?”
Public Outcry and Investor Fallout
Shares of Boeing fell sharply during the hearing, closing 3.2% lower as investors reacted to the prospect of further regulatory and criminal scrutiny. Social media platforms exploded with hashtags like #BoeingCoverUp, #WhistleblowerSam, and #FlyingUnsafe.
Consumer groups are now calling for a temporary halt to the sale of Boeing widebody jets until an independent investigation is completed. The FAA, for its part, has opened a new review and pledged full cooperation with Congress.
“This isn’t just about airplanes. It’s about the integrity of American industry,” said Erin Wilson, a former NTSB investigator.
Boeing employees, current and former, are reportedly organizing under new legal protections for whistleblowers signed into law in 2024.