Donald Trump Says DEI Is To Blame For D.C. Air Collision Despite Acknowledging That 'We Do Not Know What Led To This Crash'
After mourning the loss of victims in the air collision in Washington, D.C., President Donald Trump pivoted quickly to placing the blame.
He quickly claimed that he had elevated safety standards only to have Joe Biden lower them, and then more directly blamed diversity, equity and inclusion programs, or DEI.
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He singled out former Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg, claiming that he has been using 'a good line of bullshit' in leading the department, which oversees the FAA.
Yet in briefing with reporters at the White House, Trump said that 'we do not know what led to this crash, but we have some strong opinions.'
'We don't know,' Trump said later.
'The helicopter was in the wrong place at the wrong time, and a tragedy occurred.'
Asked why he thinks that DEI is to blame, Trump said it was because he had 'common sense.' But he veered in who he thinks he bears responsibility from air traffic controllers to the pilots of the helicopter, saying that they 'should have seen where they are going.'
American Eagle flight 5342, operated by American Airlines subsidiary PSA, was carrying 60 passengers and four crew members. It collided with a Sikorsky H-60 Blackhawk, carrying three people, over the Potomac River.
Investigators have not determined fault, as the cause of the crash is still under investigation. The National Transportation Safety Board typically takes months or even more than a year to complete and fully determine a cause.
Trump continuously blamed Biden and even Barack Obama for their safety standards. But as he took questions from reporters, he was challenged on his attack on hiring language on the FAA website.
Trump insisted that he had made reforms to FAA safety standards since coming to office. But soon after the crash on Wednesday evening, a report of another Trump action circulated on social media: He fired the members of the Aviation Security Advisory Committee. He also fired the heads of the Transportation Security Administration and Coast Guard.
More to come.
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