As the country grapples with the deadliest aviation disaster in over 20 years, former President Donald Trump wasted no time in placing blame—this time, on diversity initiatives. Speaking from the White House briefing room, Trump claimed, without evidence, that hiring practices focused on inclusion have made air travel less safe. He also took aim at a U.S. Army helicopter pilot involved in the midair collision, questioning their actions.
The crash, which happened on Jan. 29, as a flight from Wichita, Kansas, attempted to land at Washington Reagan National Airport, is believed to have killed 67 people. At the time of Trump’s remarks, investigators were still in the early stages of determining what caused the collision, and recovery teams were working to retrieve bodies from the Potomac River.
While Trump initially acknowledged it was too soon to draw conclusions, he quickly pivoted to speculation and political attacks—at a moment when many Americans expect their president to offer reassurance and facts.
“Some really bad things happened and some things happened that shouldn’t have happened,” Trump said.
He then blamed the Biden administration for encouraging the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) to hire workers “who suffer severe intellectual disabilities, psychiatric problems, and other mental and physical conditions under a diversity and inclusion hiring initiative.” He went on to claim, without proof, that people with hearing and vision impairments, epilepsy, and even paralysis were being placed in crucial aviation roles.
However, even Trump admitted there was no indication that air traffic controllers at Reagan National had made any mistakes in this crash. When pressed on why he was blaming diversity initiatives, he responded, “Because I have common sense, and unfortunately, a lot of people don’t.”
According to Trump, air traffic controllers should be “brilliant” and “naturally talented geniuses.” He added, “You can’t have regular people doing their job.”
Trump also singled out Pete Buttigieg, Biden’s former transportation secretary, calling him “a disaster” and blaming him for allegedly prioritizing diversity over safety. Buttigieg fired back on X (formerly Twitter), calling Trump’s remarks “despicable.”
“As families grieve, Trump should be leading, not lying,” Buttigieg wrote.
Shortly after his remarks, Trump signed yet another executive order rolling back what he called “woke policies” in federal aviation. Just last week, he had already signed an order ending diversity programs at the FAA.
“We want the most competent people,” Trump said. “We don’t care what race they are.”
When asked if he planned to visit the crash site, Trump seemed dismissive. “What’s the site? The water? You want me to go swimming?”
