Advertisement
Tech

Trump bashes decade-old memo calling FAA ‘too white’ while blaming DEI for D.C. crash

Trump instantly jumped on the talking point.

Photo of David Covucci

David Covucci

Two panel image. On the left, a pin of the Federal Aviation Administration logo sits atop an American flag. On the right, Donald Trump, standing at the White House press room podium, looks off camera, sternly.

President Donald Trump addressed the White House Briefing Room and the nation today in the wake of the collision between American Airlines Flight 5342 and a U.S. Army helicopter that killed 67.

Featured Video

Before holding a moment of silence for the deceased, Trump bashed the Federal Aviation Administration’s (FAA) policies on diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI), highlighting a memo that said the agency was “too white” during the Obama administration.

“They came out with a directive: ‘Too white,’” Trump said. “We want people who are competent.”

“A group within the FAA determined that the workforce was TOO WHITE, then they had concerted efforts to get the administration to change that and to change it immediately,” Trump said.

Advertisement

The FAA under Obama was subjected to a lawsuit claiming its changes to FAA testing harmed white candidates.

An old video from a former FAA deputy also circulated, with Trump fans also trying to pin the crash on a diversity boogeyman.

“The FAA’s diversity push includes focus on hiring people with severe intellectual and psychiatric disabilities,” Trump added in his remarks, calling out other protected classes.

Advertisement

“That is amazing. FAA says people with severe disabilities are most underrepresented segment of the workforce and they want them in and they want them. They can be air traffic controllers.”

“I don’t think so,” Trump responded, dating the memo to Jan. 14.

Trump also bashed departing Secretary of Transportation Pete Buttigieg as a “disaster with a good line of bullshit,” adding that he ran the agency “into the ground with his diversity.”

Backlash online was swift, with people upset that Trump used the death of Americans to push an anti-DEI agenda.

“Trump is addressing the plane crash last night and is blaming DEI. Saying that staffing wasn’t properly pieced together out of fear of being ‘too white.’ Vile isn’t even the word. The man is a manipulative white supremacist and, yes, being a supporter says the same about you,” one user wrote.

Advertisement

After his comments, two of his new cabinet officials involved in the response to the crash, Secretary of Transportation Sean Duffy and Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth, also spoke, adopting his line and blaming DEI.

“We can only accept the best and the brightest,” Duffy said, who was criticized for his initial response to the crash.

“We will have the best and the brightest. It is color-blind and merit-based,” Hegseth said. “The era of DEI is gone at the Defense Department.”


Advertisement

Internet culture is chaotic—but we’ll break it down for you in one daily email. Sign up for the Daily Dot’s web_crawlr newsletter here. You’ll get the best (and worst) of the internet straight into your inbox.

 
The Daily Dot