In his first news conference following the tragic mid-air collision over the Potomac River, President Donald Trump suggested that diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) initiatives might have contributed to the disaster. The investigation into the fatal incident has only just begun, and no official cause has been determined.
“We have to have our smartest people” as air traffic controllers, Trump stated on Thursday morning. “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.”
Critique of FAA’s DEI Policies
The President criticized the Federal Aviation Administration’s DEI programs, particularly those implemented under Presidents Joe Biden and Barack Obama. He referenced the FAA’s acknowledgment of the underemployment of individuals with disabilities. “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. “This was in the Obama administration.”
Trump also criticized former Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg, labeling him a “disaster.” When questioned by reporters, Trump stopped short of directly blaming DEI programs for the mid-air collision. “It just could have been,” he remarked when asked if he believed diversity hiring contributed to the crash.
An American Eagle flight from Wichita, Kansas, carrying 60 passengers and four crew members, collided mid-air with an Army helicopter near Reagan Washington National Airport on Wednesday night. The helicopter had three individuals on board. President Trump confirmed there were no survivors.
Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, recently sworn in, described the accident as occurring during a “routine, annual (Army) retraining, night flights on a standard corridor, for a continuity of government mission. The military does dangerous things. It does routine things on the regular basis. Tragically, last night, a mistake was made.”
Executive Actions and Responses
On his second day in office, President Trump issued an executive order to eliminate DEI programs throughout the federal government, including the FAA. He asserted that his order was “very powerful, and restoring the highest standards of air traffic controllers.”
When reporters questioned whether he was preempting the investigation by linking DEI initiatives to the crash, Trump responded, “I have common sense, OK?”
NAACP President Derrick Johnson expressed his disapproval, stating that Trump used the news conference to play politics. He added that he was “disgusted” by the president’s words. “The President has made his decision to put politics over people abundantly clear as he uses the highest office in the land to sow hatred rooted in falsehoods instead of providing us with the leadership we need and deserve.”
Former Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg responded to the president’s remarks, calling them “despicable.” He emphasized that as families grieve, Trump should be leading, not lying. “President Trump now oversees the military and the FAA. One of his first acts was to fire and suspend some of the key personnel who helped keep our skies safe. Time for the President to show actual leadership and explain what he will do to prevent this from happening again,” Buttigieg stated.
The FAA has faced a shortage of air traffic controllers for years. Tennesse Garvey, a pilot with 22 years of experience, previously noted that eliminating DEI may exacerbate demand. “There’s never been any proof that DEI causes any safety issues, because it doesn’t,” Garvey said. “And if there’s something wrong with aviation in America, how can DEI be the problem? There are only 4% Black pilots operating within this space.”
As the investigation continues, authorities have not yet determined the cause of the collision.