In response to a tragic midair collision near Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport that resulted in 67 fatalities, President Trump publicly questioned the qualifications of the army helicopter pilot and air traffic controllers involved. Despite the ongoing federal investigation, he suggested that diversity hiring initiatives might be to blame. While expressing condolences, he pivoted to political critiques, stating that the Federal Aviation Administration was hiring individuals with various disabilities and stated that air traffic controllers must be exceptionally talented. He admitted having no evidence to support his claims, attributing his reasoning to 'common sense.'
Trump said air traffic controllers needed to be geniuses. 'They have to be talented, naturally talented geniuses,' he said. 'You can't have regular people doing their job.'
As Trump spoke, a federal investigation into the crash was just getting started and first responders were still working to recover bodies from the wreckage of the commercial jet and army helicopter.
He added that the program allowed for the hiring of people with hearing and vision issues as well as paralysis, epilepsy and 'dwarfism.'
He acknowledged that it was too soon to draw conclusions as he encouraged the nation to pray for the victims, but he moved nonetheless to assign blame.
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