Trump Criticizes DEI Hiring Practices Following Incident Near Reagan National Airport

On January 30, former President Donald Trump asserted that the tragic midair collision, which resulted in the deaths of 67 individuals near Ronald Reagan National Airport, was impacted by the Biden administration’s diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) hiring policies at the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA).

This incident—the most catastrophic U.S. plane crash since November 2001—took place around 9 p.m. on January 29.

Trump accused ex-President Joe Biden of lowering recruitment standards for air traffic controllers, suggesting that the Transportation Department, under former Secretary Pete Buttigieg, was favoring the hiring of “[controllers] with significant disabilities.”

“They are pushing to enhance diversity within the FAA,” Trump alleged.

“Under a diversity and inclusion hiring initiative outlined on the agency’s website, the FAA is actively seeking workers who have substantial intellectual disabilities, psychiatric issues, and various mental and physical conditions.”

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“This is despicable. As families mourn, Trump should be displaying leadership, not spreading falsehoods,” Buttigieg stated. “We prioritized safety, reduced near misses, expanded Air Traffic Control, and achieved zero fatalities from commercial airline crashes during our tenure.”+

The former Transportation Secretary emphasized that key personnel responsible for maintaining air safety were dismissed during Trump’s administration.

“Now is the time for the president to demonstrate genuine leadership and outline measures to prevent accidents like this from occurring in the future,” Buttigieg said.

The FAA’s “Aviation Safety Workforce Plan” discussed its commitment to “attracting and hiring skilled applicants from diverse backgrounds,” affirming its dedication to diversity to develop a “workforce equipped with the leadership, technical, and functional abilities needed to maintain the world’s safest and most productive aviation sector.”

Trump: No Confirmation Controls Were to Blame

In April 2024, the FAA refrained from commenting on the “diversity hiring” claims, stating its primary focus is the recruitment of “highly qualified air traffic controllers” in a communication to The Epoch Times.

“Every FAA-certified air traffic controller undergoes rigorous screening and training at the FAA Academy, followed by an additional 18-24 months of training specific to regional airspace,” a spokesperson from the agency explained.

The FAA did not issue a statement regarding Trump’s January 30 claims.

Trump later indicated that the fault might not lie with air traffic controllers or the FAA’s hiring practices, admitting, “We don’t necessarily know that.”

Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth mentioned during a morning briefing that the helicopter pilots at some point utilized night vision goggles during their flight.

Trump commented that night vision could have affected the pilots’ ability to see the approaching American Airlines aircraft.

“That might explain why visibility is diminished compared to a clear night,” he told reporters during a White House press briefing.

Juan Browne, a pilot for a major U.S. airline, informed The Epoch Times that if the helicopter pilots were utilizing night vision goggles during the collision, it could have entirely obscured the plane’s landing lights.

He noted this as a potentially significant “contributing factor.”

Additionally, night vision could create challenges with the below city lights of Washington, as well as the airplane’s landing lights, which could have been blinding for the helicopter pilots using night vision goggles, Browne remarked.

Trump stated that the helicopter should not have been operating at the same altitude as the commercial flight, which occurred around 400 feet above the ground.

“The individuals in the helicopter should have had a clear view of their path. I find it hard to believe that people with 20–20 vision would fail to see what was occurring in the air,” he claimed. “They should not have been flying at the same altitude.”

Military helicopters have an established “above ground level” (AGL) limit, defining the highest altitude the aircraft may fly in specific airspace.

Both the Transportation Department and FAA did not respond to inquiries regarding the authorized altitude of the military helicopter. The Pentagon redirected those questions back to the FAA.

The National Transportation Safety Board has yet to provide any official explanations for the accident.

Trump confirmed that all 64 individuals aboard the American Airlines flight lost their lives in the crash, as did the military personnel in the helicopter whose identities remain undisclosed.

The president plans to release a list of the victims’ names shortly, “in coordination with American Airlines” and the military.