The morning after a devastating air collision between an American Airlines plane and an Army helicopter that killed 67 people, President Donald Trump held a press conference and, for a moment, said what any president would say:
He called the accident “a tragedy of terrible proportions.” He said, “We mourn for every precious soul that was taken from us so suddenly.” He consoled the nation by saying that the journey of the 67 souls ended “in the warm embrace of a loving God.”
But then the Trump everyone knows came into play, and he made some of the most extraordinary public statements he has ever made: he linked the accident to the federal government’s diversity program, which he ended through an executive order in the first week of his second term.
“We don’t know what led to this accident, but we have some very strong opinions and ideas,” Trump began, his tone shifting from consolation to irritation. “And I think we will probably declare those opinions now.”
For the next 30 minutes, without citing any evidence, Trump blamed the Federal Aviation Administration (F.A.A.)’s efforts to lower standards for air traffic controllers. He blamed the Obama administration, claiming it considered the F.A.A. workforce “too white.”
“We must have only the highest standards for those who work in our aviation system,” Trump continued. And then: “We need to have our smartest people. It doesn’t matter what they look like, how they speak, who they are.”
The F.A.A. did not identify any of the controllers responsible for monitoring flights around the airport. The Pentagon did not name the helicopter pilots or their race.
Vice President JD Vance also spoke and got straight to the point:
“If you go back to some of the headlines from the last 10 years, you will see hundreds of people suing the government because they would like to be air traffic controllers but were rejected because of the color of their skin,” he said. “That policy ends under Donald Trump’s leadership because safety is the first priority of our aviation industry.”
An ABC News reporter then asked:
Are you saying that the accident was the result of diverse hiring? And what evidence did you see to support that claim?
“It could have been,” Trump confidently replied. “We have a high standard.” He added: “Certainly, for an air traffic controller, we want the brightest, the smartest, the most insightful. We want someone who is psychologically superior. And that’s what we will have.”
When asked how he could conclude that diversity hiring caused the collision, Trump responded in the “Trump” way.
“Because I have common sense, OK? And unfortunately, many people don’t.”
Initial Investigations
According to a report by the New York Times, preliminary investigations show that the helicopter was flying outside the previously approved route. It was supposed to be in another part of the Potomac River and should have been flying lower.
For a helicopter to fly over the airspace where commercial planes fly, it must receive permission from air traffic controllers.
It was found that at the time of the accident, only one air traffic controller was responsible for the air traffic of both the route where the plane was and the helicopter. The service should have been provided by two air traffic controllers. For some reason, one employee was dismissed from duty.
Initial evidence indicates that there was human error. But there is absolutely no evidence that this error was caused by the incompetence of an employee who was hired under the diversity program or even that “diversity” was the driving force behind the error.
FAA Diversity Program
Trump accused the Obama administration of hiring air traffic controllers under the diversity program, but he forgot that during his first term, his administration launched a similar program to hire people with disabilities.
The F.A.A. announced in April 2019 that it would launch a pilot program to help prepare people with disabilities for careers in air traffic operations.
The F.A.A. stated at the time that those trained under the program would receive the same “rigorous consideration” in terms of fitness, medical qualifications, and safety as those who make standard job applications for air traffic controllers.
On Thursday (30), Trump signed an executive order initiating the “Immediate Aviation Safety Assessment” following the disaster at Reagan National Airport, which includes implementing only merit-based hiring.
The order stated that the Biden administration “flagrantly rejected” merit-based hiring and specifically recruited individuals with “severe intellectual disabilities” at the F.A.A.
Sources: The New York Times and CNN