Trump Links DEI to D.C. Air Crash, Drawing Widespread Criticism

Trump stated that air traffic controllers should be the most intelligent and capable individuals.

By Sheenu Gupta On Jan 31, 2025 Share with new partner:

At his first news conference following the tragic midair collision over the Potomac River, former President Donald Trump suggested on Thursday that diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) policies could have played a role in the incident. However, his remarks came despite the fact that an official investigation into the fatal accident had only just begun.

During his address on Thursday morning, Trump emphasized the need for highly intelligent and exceptionally skilled individuals to serve as air traffic controllers. “We have to have our smartest people” in these positions, he stated. He went on to clarify that qualifications, rather than personal characteristics, should be the primary criteria for hiring, saying, “It doesn’t matter what they look like, how they speak, who they are. … They have to be talented, naturally talented. Geniuses. Can’t have regular people doing their job. We can’t have regular people doing this job. They won’t be able to do it, but we’ll restore faith in American air travel.”

Trump devoted a significant portion of his speech to criticizing the Federal Aviation Administration’s (FAA) DEI initiatives, particularly those implemented under the administrations of Presidents Joe Biden and Barack Obama. He specifically pointed to the FAA’s efforts to address the underrepresentation of employees with disabilities within its workforce.

Citing information from the FAA’s website shortly before he took office, Trump claimed that the agency had expressed a commitment to increasing the employment of individuals with severe disabilities, including in air traffic control roles. “A week before I took office,” he said, “the FAA website said that people with severe disabilities are the most underrepresented segment of the workforce, that they want them to be air traffic controllers. I don’t think so.”

Later that same day, a White House memo addressed Trump’s comments, stating that under the Biden administration’s DEI hiring efforts, the FAA had actively recruited individuals with “severe intellectual” disabilities.

In response to the controversy, Timothy Shriver, chairman of the board for the Special Olympics, publicly refuted the notion that individuals with profound intellectual disabilities were being employed as air traffic controllers. In a statement shared on Instagram, Shriver asserted, “To our knowledge, no persons with profound intellectual disabilities are employed as air traffic controllers in the U.S. or elsewhere.”

During his remarks, Trump also took aim at former Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg, who served under President Joe Biden, criticizing his tenure and calling him a “disaster.” However, when pressed by reporters about whether he directly blamed diversity hiring policies for the midair collision that occurred Wednesday night, Trump stopped short of making a definitive claim.

When asked if he believed the crash was a direct result of DEI-based hiring, Trump responded cautiously, saying, “It just could have been.”

He then shifted his focus to criticizing the policies implemented under the Obama and Biden administrations, arguing that they had weakened hiring standards for air traffic controllers in order to prioritize diversity initiatives. “Their policy was horrible, and their politics was even worse,” Trump asserted.

Further elaborating, Trump alleged that during the Obama administration, a group within the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) had determined that the air traffic control workforce lacked sufficient racial diversity. He claimed that this led to a concerted push to pressure the administration into making immediate changes. “A group within the FAA determined that the workforce was too white, then they had concerted efforts to get the administration to change that and to change it immediately,” he said.

Trump emphasized that only the most highly qualified individuals should be employed within the aviation system.

On Wednesday night, a tragic midair collision occurred near Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport involving an American Eagle flight and a U.S. Army helicopter. The American Eagle aircraft, which had departed from Wichita, Kansas, was carrying 60 passengers and four crew members. The Army helicopter had three people on board. Former President Donald Trump confirmed that there were no survivors from the crash.

Newly appointed Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, who was sworn in only recently, addressed the incident, explaining that the Army helicopter had been engaged in a routine annual retraining exercise. According to Hegseth, the flight was part of a continuity of government mission and was operating along a standard night flight corridor. Acknowledging the inherent risks of military operations, he remarked, “The military does dangerous things. It does routine things on a regular basis. Tragically, last night, a mistake was made.”

Meanwhile, Trump highlighted his recent executive action aimed at eliminating diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) programs across the federal government, including within the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA). The executive order, which he signed on his second day in office, was part of his broader effort to dismantle DEI-related policies in federal agencies.

Speaking about the order, Trump characterized it as “very powerful” and asserted that it was a crucial step toward restoring the highest standards in air traffic control. He argued that prioritizing merit-based qualifications was essential to maintaining the safety and efficiency of the aviation system.

When reporters questioned Trump on Thursday about whether he was prematurely linking DEI initiatives to the crash before the investigation was complete, he dismissed the concern, replying, “I have common sense, OK?”

Kimbrough, who is Black, expressed strong disapproval of Trump’s remarks, criticizing him for making unfounded claims without any factual basis or credible information. “To say those things that had no bearing on any facts and a lack of credible information is just, it’s just jarring,” he said.

He further condemned Trump for using the tragedy to launch an attack on diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) initiatives, particularly while the victims’ families were still mourning. “While families are grieving, to turn this into an attack on DEI is disturbing,” Kimbrough stated.

Additionally, he called out Trump’s behavior during the press conference, pointing to what he saw as a lack of empathy and decorum, as well as the use of profanity in a formal setting. He found it deeply troubling that Trump had politicized a devastating incident, describing such actions as “really unconscionable.”

In a statement to NBC News, NAACP President Derrick Johnson strongly criticized Trump, accusing him of using the news conference as a political platform rather than focusing on the tragedy at hand. Johnson expressed deep dismay over Trump’s remarks, stating that he was “disgusted” by the president’s rhetoric.

He went on to accuse Trump of prioritizing political agendas over the well-being of the American people, arguing that his remarks were divisive and based on misinformation. “The President has made his decision to put politics over people abundantly clear,” Johnson said. “Rather than providing the leadership we need and deserve, he is using the highest office in the land to spread hatred rooted in falsehoods.”

Despite his criticism of Trump, Johnson took a moment to acknowledge and commend the emergency responders from Washington, Maryland, and Virginia who had swiftly mobilized to assist in the aftermath of the crash. He praised their dedication and unity in tackling the massive recovery efforts on the Potomac River. “We’re proud to see thousands of first responders in the DMV region unify to support the enormous recovery efforts taking place on the Potomac,” he said, highlighting their critical role in managing the crisis.

Later in the news conference, Trump appeared to shift responsibility away from air traffic controllers, suggesting that the Army helicopter involved in the crash was simply in the wrong place at the wrong time. However, as he spoke with reporters later in the day, he moderated his previous statements, saying that diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) initiatives “may have” contributed to the incident. He acknowledged that he wasn’t sure, adding, “I don’t know; incompetence might have played a role. Well, we’ll let you know that, but we want the most competent people. We don’t care what race they are. We want the most competent people, especially in those positions.”

In response to the collision, a White House memo linked the accident to DEI policies under prior administrations. It read, “On my second day in office, I ordered an immediate return to merit-based recruitment, hiring, and promotion, elevating safety and ability as the paramount standard. Yesterday’s devastating accident tragically underscores the need to elevate safety and competence as the priority of the FAA.”

On Thursday, the White House defended the Trump administration’s air traffic control policies in a post on X (formerly Twitter), pointing out that in 2018, the Trump administration had moved to eliminate an Obama-era test that, in their view, penalized skilled applicants. The post stated, “In 2018, the Trump administration announced it would do away with an Obama-era test that punished skilled applicants.”

Further details were provided in a statement from the FAA in April 2019, during Trump’s first term, where it was announced that the agency’s Office of Civil Rights would explore “specific opportunities for people with targeted disabilities,” with plans to enroll up to 20 people in its Aviation Development Program. The FAA clarified that these candidates would be subject to the same rigorous standards regarding aptitude, medical, and security qualifications as those considered for standard air traffic controller positions.

John Cox, the CEO of Safety Operating Systems and an NBC News aviation analyst, disagreed with Trump’s insinuations that the incident was connected to substandard qualifications among air traffic controllers or pilots. He pointed out that aviation standards for safety-critical roles, such as pilots, flight attendants, dispatchers, and air traffic controllers, have never changed. He stressed that any claims suggesting that the pilots or controllers were unqualified, “without any evidence of that,” were premature and lacked factual foundation.

In response to Trump’s comments, Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg quickly condemned the remarks, calling them “despicable” in a post on X. He criticized Trump for making divisive statements while families were grieving and argued that the former president should be taking a leadership role rather than spreading falsehoods. Buttigieg stated, “As families grieve, Trump should be leading, not lying.”

Buttigieg also highlighted that Trump, as president, oversees both the military and the FAA, referencing his decision to fire or suspend key personnel during his administration who had played a role in maintaining aviation safety. Buttigieg concluded by urging Trump to step up and demonstrate “actual leadership,” and to outline his plans to prevent similar incidents from occurring in the future.

Billy Nolen, who is currently serving as the acting FAA administrator under President Biden, responded to the criticism surrounding the midair collision, emphasizing that his primary focus in this role—and throughout his career—has been improving aviation safety. Nolen, who is also Black, stated that part of ensuring safety involves thoroughly investigating the incident to determine its cause. “That’s what we owe, certainly, to the families, and that’s what we owe to the American people,” he remarked, stressing the importance of transparency and accountability in such a tragic situation.

The FAA has been facing a long-standing shortage of air traffic controllers, which has been a significant challenge for the agency. Tennesse Garvey, a Black pilot with over 22 years of experience, had previously expressed concerns about the possible consequences of eliminating diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) programs. In an interview with NBC News, Garvey argued that removing DEI initiatives could worsen the existing demand for qualified personnel in the aviation sector. He also defended DEI programs, asserting that there has never been any evidence to suggest that such policies pose any threat to safety. “There’s never been any proof that DEI causes any safety issues, because it doesn’t,” Garvey said, pointing out that the issue lies elsewhere in the aviation industry. He also noted that Black pilots make up only about 4% of the pilot population in the United States, indicating that diversity in the profession remains limited.

Meanwhile, Barry McCaffrey, a retired Army general, also expressed his disapproval of Trump’s comments about the impact of diversity requirements within the FAA. Speaking on MSNBC, McCaffrey said he was “appalled” by Trump’s decision to blame diversity policies as a factor in the aviation tragedy. He argued that this was not the appropriate moment for political divisiveness. “This is no time for partisan politics,” McCaffrey stated, calling for a focus on the facts and a respectful investigation into the incident rather than using it to advance political agendas.