During an interview with Gayle King of CBS, Ed Bastian, the CEO of Delta Airlines, put to bed rumors that Trump’s cuts at the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) have contributed to a rise in plane crashes. He said that the cuts were of around 300 non-essential personnel and didn’t worry him at all. He says that Trump has made a strong commitment to making air travel safe.
On January 29, 2025, 67 people lost their lives in a tragic airplane accident near Reagan Airport in Washington, DC. A helicopter operated by the Department of Defence (DOD) collided with a commercial jetliner over the Potomac River. Shortly after the disaster, President Trump gave a speech where he expressed his deep sadness and offered his condolences to the survivors.
Gayle King began the segment by asking the CEO if he was worried about Trump’s cost-saving measures. She said, “I know the Trump administration recently fired many employees of the FAA administration. Do those cuts? Do those cuts worry you? And do you think that impacts the safety? I know you just said it’s the safest way to travel, but after looking at all these mishaps, a lot of people are very nervous. Do these cuts affect you?”
Bastian shut her down instantly. He explained that, “The cuts do not affect us, Gayle. I’ve been in close communication with the Secretary of Transportation. I understand that the cuts at this time are something that are raising questions, but the reality is, there’s over 50,000 people that work at the FAA, and the cuts, I understand, were 300 people, and they were in noncritical safety functions.”
The CEO stated that Trump has been working closely with Delta to ensure safety is a top priority. He said, “The Trump administration has committed to investing deeply in improving the overall technologies that are used in the air traffic control systems and modernizing the skies. They’ve committed to hiring additional controllers and investigators, and safety-investing investigators. So no, I’m not concerned with that at all.”
Shortly after the crash occurred, Trump gave a speech addressing the country. As we reported Trump said, “As one nation, we grieve for every precious soul that has been taken from us so suddenly,” Trump began. “We are in mourning. On behalf of the first lady, myself and 340 million Americans, our hearts are shattered alongside yours and our prayers are with you now and in the days to come. We’re here for you to wipe away the tears and to offer you our devotion, our love and our support.”
The president turned to God in the “In moments like this, the differences between Americans fade to nothing compared to the bonds of affection and loyalty that unite us all both as Americans and even as nations,” the president went on. “We are one family, and today, we are all heartbroken. Take solace in the knowledge that their journey ended not in the cold waters of the Potomac but in the warm embrace of a loving God.”
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Donald Trump asked God to “watch over those who have lost their lives and bring comfort to the loved ones” and wrapped up by saying, “God bless everyone in this room.” He reported that federal authorities are looking into the crash and hinted that a focus on diversity may have affected the capability of Air traffic control. Trump has specifically singled out hiring requirements for Air traffic controllers.
He signed an executive order that was focused on “restoring our highest standards for air traffic controllers and other important jobs throughout the country.” He cited an article that emphasized hiring people with ‘severe intellectual’ and ‘psychiatric’ disabilities because they are “the most underrepresented segment of the workforce.” He excoriated the FAA’s ‘diversity push.’
The president took aim at policies that would have cleared these types of disabled people to guide jets into an airport. Trump said, “the FAA [was] actively recruiting workers who suffer severe intellectual disabilities, psychiatric problems and other mental and physical conditions under a diversity and inclusion hiring initiative spelled out on the agency’s website.”
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He said people “missing extremities, partial paralysis, complete paralysis, epilepsy, severe intellectual disability, psychiatric disability, and dwarfism” were to be hired for the crucial role. He quoted an FAA statement: “Diversity is integral to achieving the FAA’s mission of safe and efficient travel.” The president strongly disagreed with the memo and believed that competence should be the sole relevant feature.
Featured image from embedded video