President Signs Memorandum to Assess Aviation Safety

Less than 24 hours after the fatal crash near Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport (DCA), President Donald Trump spoke out to pin blame on Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) programs. He proceeded to sign two new actions, one naming Chris Rocheleau as acting FAA Administrator and the other ordering an immediate assessment of aviation safety.

The crash occurred off the approach end of DCA’s Runway 33 over the Potomac River at around 9 pm on January 29. It involved American Eagle Flight 5342, carrying 60 passengers and four crew members, and a Black Hawk helicopter with three soldiers. As of the next morning, 27 bodies had been recovered from the Bombardier CRJ700. There appear to be no survivors, making the crash one of the deadliest in decades.

In response, President Donald Trump referenced poor ATC standards allowed by former Presidents Barack Obama and Joe Biden, the “good line of bullshit” from former Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg, and DEI-focused hiring policies that have been in effect since as early as 2013.

“I put safety first,” President Trump claimed. “Obama, Biden, and the Democrats put policy first, and they put politics at a level that nobody’s ever seen, because this was the lowest level. Their policy was horrible, and their politics was even worse.”

But why was President Trump the only one to relate DEI hiring to the accident? “Because I have common sense and unfortunately a lot of people don’t,” he claimed. He later backed off the topic after being asked for evidence, stating that DEI practices “just could’ve been” a factor.

President Trump also signed two new executive actions on January 30. The first named FAA Deputy Administrator Chris Rocheleau as acting Administrator, filling the shoes of Mike Whitaker after his resignation on Trump’s Inauguration Day. The second ordered an immediate assessment of aviation safety to ensure that “competence” is being elevated following Trump’s Jan. 20 Executive Order to end all government DEI hiring programs.

Though the final cause of the tragic accident has not been named, it seems unlikely that the NTSB would include DEI practices in its report. Common theories currently include the helicopter’s altitude and abnormal staffing in the DCA tower.

FMI: www.whitehouse.gov