“Despicable”: Pete Buttigieg Slams Trump’s DEI Blame Game After Deadly DC Crash
Washington DC is reeling after a midair collision killed 67 people this week. But the tragedy took a sharp political turn when Donald Trump blamed DEI policies for the crash.
First time in 15 years, a plane crash in United States.
— Saqib Ul Islam Chaudhary (@SaqibIslam) January 30, 2025
Desperate search for survivors after an American Airlines jet is downed in collision with military chopper over DC’s Potomac river at the Raegan National Airport #DCCrash #PlaneCrash pic.twitter.com/czkaK5M999
Pete Buttigieg hit back and he didn’t hold back. He posted on X:
“Despicable. As families grieve, Trump should be leading, not lying. We put safety first, drove down close calls, grew Air Traffic Control, and had zero commercial airline crash fatalities out of millions of flights on our watch. 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.”
Despicable. As families grieve, Trump should be leading, not lying. We put safety first, drove down close calls, grew Air Traffic Control, and had zero commercial airline crash fatalities out of millions of flights on our watch.
— Pete Buttigieg (@PeteButtigieg) January 30, 2025
President Trump now oversees the military and the…
On Wednesday evening, tragedy struck near Washington, D.C. An American Eagle passenger jet, flying into Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport, collided midair with a U.S. Army Black Hawk helicopter. The two aircraft collided during the jet’s approach, leaving no survivors: 64 passengers on the jet and three military personnel aboard the helicopter.
The crash sent shockwaves through aviation circles and beyond, but what happened next only added fuel to an already fiery political landscape.
In a press briefing on Thursday morning, Donald Trump began with a moment of silence for the victims before diving headfirst into his usual mix of accusations and political talking points. He wasted no time blaming DEI hiring practices at the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) for the collision, saying, “We do not know what led to this crash, but we have some very strong opinions and ideas.”
Trump making this D.C. plane crash about himself and blaming other administrations for unsafe aviation is wild. Now he is talking about the talents of people of the FAA. What is wrong with this man? #planecrash #Trump pic.twitter.com/j5lzn0NB1Y
— Dan Johnson (@DanDanoDeege) January 30, 2025
Trump claimed the FAA’s focus on hiring under DEI policies had prioritised political correctness over qualified talent. He went on to criticise policies that aim to diversify hiring by including people with disabilities, saying: “Can you imagine? These are people that are, I mean, actually, their lives are shortened because of the stress that they have. Brilliant people have to be in those positions.”
At a time when unity and facts are critical, Trump’s focus on division feels both predictable and exhausting. And while Buttigieg may be out of the Department of Transportation, his voice is still one that speaks to progress, inclusion, and truth.
The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) continues its investigation into the crash, with no evidence thus far linking the tragedy to FAA hiring policies. But one thing is clear: the toxic politicisation of DEI initiatives isn’t going anywhere soon.
