Trump Blames Biden, Buttigieg for Deadly DC Crash That Killed 67

During a press conference, Trump mourned the loss of life, calling the crash an "hour of anguish for our nation." However, his remarks quickly shifted to criticizing former President Joe Biden and former Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg, accusing them of lowering air traffic control (ATC) standards through diversity initiatives.

Blame on Biden-Era Standards

Trump alleged that the Biden administration’s focus on diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) undermined the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) and ATC hiring standards, which he claimed he had strengthened during his first term.

“Buttigieg ran things into the ground with his diversity,” Trump said, suggesting that the former transportation secretary prioritized DEI over competence in critical positions like air traffic control. He added that "some federal employees" hired under the Biden administration may need to be removed if they are "not mentally competent."

“For some jobs, they have to be at the highest level of genius,” Trump asserted, singling out air traffic controllers as needing exceptional qualifications.

The Crash Investigation

While expressing condolences to the families of the victims, Trump indicated that preliminary findings suggest an "elevation issue" with the Black Hawk helicopter. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth supported this claim, stating, “Tragically, last night a mistake was made, and we believe there was some sort of elevation issue that we have immediately begun investigating.”

Trump suggested that the helicopter pilot bore some responsibility, emphasizing that the collision occurred on a "very clear night" with "a lot of vision." He noted, “The helicopter had vision of the plane, but for some reason, there weren’t adjustments made.”

Buttigieg Responds

In a sharp rebuke, Pete Buttigieg accused Trump of politicizing the tragedy, calling his comments "despicable." Writing on X (formerly Twitter), Buttigieg defended his record, stating, “We put safety first, drove down close calls, grew Air Traffic Control, and had zero commercial airline crash fatalities out of millions of flights on our watch.”

Buttigieg also criticized Trump for firing key personnel and suspending programs that had contributed to aviation safety. “President Trump now oversees the military and the FAA,” Buttigieg wrote. “It’s time for him to show leadership and explain what he will do to prevent this from happening again.”

Media and Public Reaction

Trump's decision to link the crash to DEI initiatives sparked backlash from critics, who accused him of politicizing the incident. When pressed by reporters, Trump defended his comments, citing "common sense" as the basis for his criticism.

Additionally, Trump blamed the Biden administration for failing to properly modernize air traffic control systems, suggesting that recent renovations wasted taxpayer money. “They spent much more money than they would have spent if they bought a new system for air traffic controllers,” he said.

Looking Forward

As the investigation into the collision continues, questions about systemic issues within aviation safety will likely remain at the forefront. While Trump’s administration has pledged to ensure that “nothing like this ever happens again,” the political fallout from his remarks underscores how deeply divided the nation remains, even in moments of national tragedy.

For now, the focus shifts to identifying the precise cause of the crash and implementing measures to prevent future incidents. Meanwhile, families of the 67 victims are left to grieve as investigations unfold.