A fatal collision at Reagan National Airport involving a military Black Hawk helicopter and an American Airlines jet claimed 67 lives on Wednesday night. By late Thursday morning, recovery teams had retrieved 28 bodies from the Potomac River. The aviation disaster has prompted an investigation by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) and the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB). However, the focus shifted dramatically during a press conference held by former President Donald Trump, who used the platform to launch a political offensive against Democrats and advocate for his own agenda.
Trump attributed the crash to what he described as declining standards in air traffic control under Democratic leadership. He further suggested that diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) policies within the FAA might have contributed to the incident. Despite the gravity of his claims, Trump offered no evidence to substantiate them, leading to widespread criticism from politicians and experts alike.
The former president's remarks included specific accusations against the Biden administration, alleging that they allowed air traffic control standards to deteriorate. Trump promised to "restore faith in American air travel," asserting that he had previously elevated these standards during his tenure, although he presented no evidence to support this assertion.
During the press conference, Trump did not spare Pete Buttigieg, former transportation secretary under President Biden. He accused Buttigieg of mismanaging the Department of Transportation, ostensibly due to a focus on diversity. Trump also criticized the FAA's diversity initiatives, which involve hiring individuals with intellectual and psychiatric disabilities.
"I would say yes. If we find that people aren’t mentally competent … these are not people who should be doing these particular jobs." – Donald Trump
His statements drew ire for their insensitivity and baselessness. He suggested that only "brilliant people" with "a very special talent and a very special genius" should be considered for such high-stress positions.
"Brilliant people have to be in those positions, and their lives are actually shortened, very substantially shortened because of the stress where you have many, many planes coming into one target, and you need a very special talent and a very special genius to be able to do it." – Donald Trump
Fox News reported on Trump's views regarding the FAA's diversity initiatives, highlighting his contention that individuals with disabilities are not competent for roles like air traffic controllers.
"The FAA’s diversity push includes focus on hiring people with severe intellectual and psychiatric disabilities." – Fox News (report)
"They want them in, and they want them, they can be air traffic controllers." – Fox News (report)
Senator JD Vance also weighed in on the controversy, echoing Trump's sentiments about competence in air traffic control positions.
"We want to hire the best people" – JD Vance
"who are actually competent enough to do the job" – JD Vance
"they would like to be air traffic controllers, but they were turned away because of the color of their skin" – JD Vance
The incident underscores Trump's tendency to exploit tragedies for political gain. Many have condemned his narrative as divisive and lacking in factual basis. Pete Hegseth, a commentator known for his conservative views, remarked on the necessity of prioritizing skill and competence over diversity initiatives in critical sectors like defense.
"The era of DEI is gone at the defence department and we need the best and brightest" – Pete Hegseth