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Trump Quickly Blames Democrats, Diversity Policies for Deadly Midair Collision Over D.C.
Washington, D.C. – In the first national tragedy of his second term, President Donald Trump wasted no time assigning blame for the devastating midair collision that killed 67 people over the Potomac River.
Despite the investigation being in its earliest stages, Trump took to the White House briefing room on Thursday, pointing fingers at Democrats and diversity initiatives in the federal government.
Trump’s Immediate Reaction: Shifting Blame
Addressing the nation from the White House, Trump acknowledged the tragedy as “an hour of anguish” but quickly pivoted to a familiar political script, claiming that lax aviation standards under previous administrations were to blame.
Shortly after confirming that there were “no survivors,” Trump suggested that diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) initiatives led to unqualified personnel in aviation. Vice President JD Vance, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, and Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy echoed his claims.
“We must have only the highest standards for those who work in our aviation system,” Trump declared. “I changed the Obama standards from very mediocre at best to extraordinary, you remember that. Only the highest aptitude, the highest intellect, and psychologically superior people were allowed to qualify for air traffic controllers.”
Attacks on Political Rivals
Trump also took the opportunity to attack former Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg, the only openly gay member of Biden’s cabinet, sarcastically calling him “a real winner.”
“Do you know how badly everything’s run since he took over the Department of Transportation?” Trump said. “He’s a disaster. He was a disaster as a mayor, he ran his city into the ground, and now he’s just got a good line of bulls**t.”
As Trump spoke, television broadcasts showed a split screen of the ongoing recovery efforts on the Potomac, just miles from the White House.
Buttigieg Fires Back
Shortly after Trump’s remarks, Buttigieg responded on social media, calling out the president’s deflection.
“President Trump now oversees the military and the FAA,” Buttigieg wrote. “One of his first acts was to fire and suspend 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.”
Trump’s Theory: ‘Late Warnings’ and Pilot Error
During the briefing, Trump speculated—without evidence—that the crash resulted from “very late” warnings from air traffic controllers and possible pilot error by the soldiers flying the U.S. Army Black Hawk helicopter.
“They should have seen where they were going,” Trump asserted.
When pressed on what led him to this conclusion, he responded:
“The analysis was based on vision. A lot of people saw what was happening. Some people knew what was happening. There were warnings, but they came very, very late.”
Trump did not clarify who he meant by “some people” but seemed to imply air traffic controllers were at fault. He also questioned the helicopter’s altitude at the time of impact.
No Official Findings Yet
Despite Trump’s claims, no investigation has yet placed blame on air traffic controllers. It is also unclear which administration hired the personnel involved in the incident.
“When I arrived in 2016, I made changes very early on because I always felt this job required superior intelligence,” Trump said. “And we had that. Then, when I left office, Biden took over, and he changed things back—worse than ever before.”
Executive Order Targeting Diversity Policies
Later on Thursday, Trump issued a presidential memorandum directing a review of aviation policies, claiming it would assess “the damage done” to safety under Biden’s administration. The memo specifically calls for a reassessment of DEI hiring practices in federal aviation.
“Elevating competence over everything else, instead of DEI policies pursued by the Biden administration,” Trump said. “And Obama, yes. But Biden, much worse.”
A Familiar Approach: Deflection Over Responsibility
The investigation into one of the deadliest aviation disasters in modern U.S. history is just beginning, with federal authorities now tasked with uncovering the cause.
Yet, rather than waiting for facts, Trump took the opportunity to shift blame—offering a stark contrast to the famous sign that once sat on President Harry Truman’s desk: The buck stops here.
For Trump, the buck stops elsewhere.
