Both President Donald Trump and Elon Musk have mounted controversial stances in their speculation about the cause of a deadly crash between a military helicopter and a commercial airliner.
President Donald Trump linked diversity, equity and Inclusion (DEI) initiatives to the recent tragic midair collision involving an American Airlines passenger plane and a Black Hawk military helicopter during a press conference on January 30,
The crash claimed the lives of 64 passengers, including 14 figure skaters, and three helicopter crew members, marking the first major U.S. commercial plane crash since 2009. Both Trump and Musk have suggested that hiring practices influenced by DEI may have played a role in the fatal crash.
When pressed by a reporter on how he could reach such a conclusion before the investigation was complete during the press conference, Trump stated, “Because I have common sense, okay? And unfortunately, a lot of people don’t.”
Trump emphasized the need for high standards in air traffic control and aviation roles, arguing that DEI initiatives compromise the selection of qualified personnel.
“We want the brightest, the smartest, the sharpest,” he said. “We want somebody that’s psychologically superior.”
Elon Musk, who leads the Trump Administration’s Department of Government Efficiency, also quickly blamed DEI hiring initiatives for the tragedy in a string of tweets on Twitter, in which he also pointed the finger at the Biden administration.
“Under the Biden administration, the FAA [the Federal Aviation Administration] and other government agencies had absolutely insane hiring practices that endangered the public,” Elon Musk wrote in the tweet. “President @realDonaldTrump and his team are working rapidly to restore competent personnel to all positions involving your safety.”
Tweets by elonmusk
Musk, however, is facing backlash because he repeatedly demanded that FAA Administrator Michael Whitaker, resign due to $600,000 in civil penalties Whitaker proposed fining his SpaceX company for failing to follow license requirements in a pair of 2023 launches.
Whitaker, a 30-year aviation industry veteran who was unanimously confirmed by the Senate in 2023, resigned on January 20. Former Secretary of Labor Robert R#### ripped into Musk in a tweet over his actions following the disaster.
To recap, Trump:
-Forced out the FAA chief at Musk’s insistence
-Imposed a hiring freeze that reportedly included air traffic controllers
-Fired the TSA head and gutted a key aviation safety committee
-Blamed the DCA crash on DEIThis is disastrous leadership.
— Robert R#### (@RBReich) January 30, 2025
Congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (AOC), who represents New York’s 14th district, also pointed fingers at Trump and Musk.
“I represent LaGuardia Airport as well as workers for JFK,” AOC wrote in the tweet. “Trump gutted the Aviation Safety committee last week. Air traffic controllers – already understaffed – got Trump’s ‘buyout’ this week with a 1 week ultimatum to decide. It’s not DEI – it’s him. And Elon too.”
Trump further claimed that psychological and cognitive tests, which he said had been terminated by President Joe Biden’s administration, were crucial for ensuring air traffic safety. “We had a much higher standard than anybody else,” Trump said. He stopped short of providing direct evidence linking DEI policies to the crash but insisted, “It just could have been.”
The devastating collision occurred near the Potomac River as Flight 5342, returning from Wichita, Kansas, was making its final approach to Reagan National Airport.
Watch the report in the post above for additional details on the tragedy that occurred.
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