Trump Signs Aviation Safety Directive Aiming to Eliminate DEI and Focus on Merit-based Standards

January 30, 2025 TruthUSA

Following a tragic accident in the nation’s capital, the president’s memorandum has mandated the FAA to reassess hiring decisions and procedural changes made over the last four years.

On January 30, President Donald Trump issued an aviation safety memorandum aimed at reversing hiring practices associated with diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives for air traffic controllers and other transportation personnel.

“We are committed to having the most capable individuals overseeing our control towers,” Trump stated. “For air traffic controllers, we seek the brightest, the smartest, and the most adept.”

During a morning briefing and again while signing the memorandum, the president emphasized that the government will prioritize qualifications and ensure that hiring decisions are made in a non-discriminatory manner, selecting only the most suitable candidates for positions.

Newly confirmed Secretary of Transportation Sean Duffy and acting Chief of the Federal Aviation Administration Christopher Rocheleau have been tasked with reviewing any hiring decisions and procedural modifications that took place over the previous four years.

Corrective actions are required to “achieve uncompromised aviation safety,” which may involve the dismissal of unqualified personnel, according to the president’s memorandum.

This directive follows the heartbreaking mid-air collision of a military helicopter and an American Airlines flight near Washington, which resulted in the deaths of three soldiers, 60 passengers, and four crew members.

“Incompetence may have contributed to this incident, but we’ll keep you informed,” Trump remarked. “Clearly, this is a situation that should have been avoided, and we will take measures to prevent it from happening again.”

Emergency crews rushed to the scene in the frigid Potomac River, where officials characterized the collision as a “very quick, rapid impact.”

The National Transportation Safety Board announced on January 30 that it is too soon to ascertain the cause of the accident, as the so-called “black boxes” that record crucial flight data have yet to be recovered. A preliminary report is expected to be released within 30 days.

Additional details are emerging, and the names of the victims are anticipated to be announced soon as the nation grieves those who were lost.

White House staff secretary Will Scharf informed the president while presenting the document for his signature that the new regulations are necessary “in light of the adverse impact on aviation safety caused by the Biden administration’s DEI and woke policies.”

During his initial days in office, Trump signed a separate presidential memorandum directing the transportation secretary and the FAA to halt all DEI hiring practices and instead focus on merit and qualifications for decisions.

Over the past decade, policy directives have fluctuated, with former President Barack Obama implementing a biographical assessment in hiring protocols that critics argue allowed individuals with lower scores to be selected over more qualified candidates.

Trump annulled the questionnaire during his first term in 2018.

Source link