President Donald Trump claimed Thursday that diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) policies in air traffic control at the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) could have contributed to the collision between an American Airlines jet and a U.S. Army Black Hawk helicopter near Washington, D.C. No evidence was cited to support the claim, and an investigation is still ongoing.
However, the FAA does not apply DEI in air traffic controller hiring, according to former FAA officials. All applicants must pass rigorous medical, aptitude, and psychological exams. FAA deputy vice president of safety Chris Wilbanks stated that 57,000 applied for air traffic control positions in 2022, but only 1,000 reached the first day of training.
Despite this, Trump signed an executive order reversing what he called “Biden administration DEI policies” at the FAA. Officials, including Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth and Vice President JD Vance, echoed his stance. Meanwhile, former Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg and Democratic lawmakers called Trump’s remarks divisive and misleading.
The National Transportation Safety Board has not linked DEI policies to the crash. Investigation results remain pending.
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