PoliticusUSA is independent, ad-free, and corporate-free, thanks to the support of our readers. You can support our work by becoming a subscriber.
Donald Trump blamed DEI for the midair collision that killed all aboard a military helicopter and a passenger jet in Washington, DC. CNN’s Jake Tapper asked Trump Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy for evidence to support Trump’s claim.
Tapper asked, “ Is there any specific evidence that backs up Donald Trump’s claims, President Trump’s claims, that DEI or FAA hiring practices Are responsible in any way for this tragedy at Reagan National?”
Duffy answered:
Jake, I think the better question is, Am I going to guarantee the American people That only the best and the brightest serve in this incredibly important body of the Department of Transportation That they’re driven by safety and DEI doesn’t matter So I do know that in the last administration, They were focused on not safety But they were focused on changing the name from cockpit to flight deck or notice to airmen.
They want to change it to notice to air mission. They focused on EVs and sustainability and racist roads. Things that don’t matter in regard to safety. Our mission since the start has been safety. And they’ve lost that mission. And we see when you don’t focus on safety and you focus on social justice or the environment, bad things happen.
And I have, listen, it’s been busy. We’re going to have a fuller assessment of what happens in regard to DEI in in FAA and DOT. And we’ll report that out. But I will tell you this, DOT is a big department. The only DEI office that exists in the whole department was at the FAA now that existed up to a week ago. That’s now gone.
Tapper followed up, “So I, it sounds like you’re saying that there isn’t any evidence right now that this affected the accident because it’s so early. You’ll let us know if there is any but I don’t, I just don’t know of any evidence. And if there is some, please tell us that DEI had anything to do with the tragedy itself.”
Video:
Duffy’s answer was to blame Obama, blame Biden, blame DEI, but offer no evidence to support the Trump administration’s claims.
Sean Duffy’s response was racist and sexist. There is an assumption that candidates for positions who are women or minorities are not as skilled as white men and, therefore, inferior people who don’t belong in training programs.
DEI policies don’t get anyone hired. The policies only provide an equal opportunity to be trained and potentially hired.
The point of the racism and sexism behind the DEI slur is what is being missed by the corporate media, or maybe a white man like Jake Tapper doesn’t see it.
DEI didn’t cause the fatal collision. Most likely, understaffing at the airport played a role, but at a time when Trump is trying to gut the federal workforce, the administration definitely doesn’t want to talk about that.
Instead, they will blame DEI and hope that nobody bothers to look at their policies.
What do you think about Duffy’s lack of proof for blaming DEI? Share your thoughts in the comments below.