President Donald Trump suggested that diversity-focused hiring initiatives at the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) may have played a role in the deadly midair collision near Washington, D.C., despite no official findings linking the crash to hiring policies.
Speaking at a White House press briefing, Trump criticized past administrations, including those of former Presidents Joe Biden and Barack Obama, for what he described as lowering aviation safety standards. He specifically targeted the FAA’s diversity and inclusion efforts, which he claimed prioritized political agendas over safety.
“The FAA is actively recruiting workers who suffer severe intellectual disabilities, psychiatric problems, and other mental and physical conditions under a diversity and inclusion hiring initiative spelled out on the agency’s website,” Trump said. He noted that the program allowed for the hiring of people with hearing and vision impairments, as well as other medical conditions such as epilepsy and paralysis.
Trump asserted that air traffic controllers needed to be exceptionally skilled. “They have to be talented, naturally talented geniuses,” he said. “You can’t have regular people doing their job.”
Trump went on to blame Biden’s administration for what he called a decline in aviation safety, though he did not provide evidence to support his claims. “We must have only the highest standards for those who work in our aviation system,” he said. “I changed the Obama standards from very mediocre at best to extraordinary. And then when I left office and Biden took over, he changed them back to lower than ever before.”
Trump also criticized former Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg, saying, “Do you know how badly everything’s run since he’s run the Department of Transportation? He’s a disaster. He was a disaster as a mayor. He ran his city into the ground, and he’s a disaster. Now he’s just got a good line of bulls—.”
The president’s remarks came hours after a tragic collision between an American Eagle flight and a U.S. Army Black Hawk helicopter near Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport. Officials confirmed that 67 people were aboard the two aircraft, and no survivors are expected.
The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) has launched an investigation into the crash. The agency has not indicated that hiring practices or diversity initiatives played any role in the incident. Investigators are currently analyzing flight data, reviewing air traffic control communications, and examining wreckage stored at Ronald Reagan National Airport’s Hangar 7.
Trump also speculated about the actions of the helicopter pilot involved in the collision. “You had a pilot problem, from the standpoint of the helicopter,” he said. “I mean, because it was visual, it was a very clear night. It was cold, but clear. You could have gone up, you could have gone down. You could have turned, you could have done a million different maneuvers.”
Despite his criticism, Trump later appeared to backtrack when asked if he was blaming the air traffic controller. “I’m not blaming the controller,” he said. “I’m saying there are things that you could question, like the height of the helicopter, the height of the plane being at the same level, going in opposite directions.”
Officials confirmed that both aircraft crashed into the Potomac River, where a large-scale recovery mission is underway. The American Eagle jet was carrying 60 passengers and four crew members, including U.S. figure skaters and their families returning from a training camp in Wichita, Kansas. Russian state media also reported that Russian figure skaters and coaches were among the victims.
Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth provided details on the Army helicopter crew, confirming they were part of the Bravo Company 12th Aviation Battalion at Fort Belvoir. “It was a fairly experienced crew that was doing a required annual night evaluation,” Hegseth said. “They did have night vision goggles.”
The NTSB is expected to release a preliminary report in 30 days, with a final investigation report anticipated within 12 to 18 months. The agency is reviewing air traffic control tapes, interviewing controllers, and assessing training procedures for both aircraft.
While Trump’s remarks have drawn attention, investigators have yet to determine the cause of the crash, and no evidence has been presented linking the incident to diversity hiring initiatives at the FAA.
