Trump attacks DEI policies after DC plane crash, says FAA employees must be held to 'highest standards'

President Donald Trump acceptable his sights connected DEI standards astatine the Federal Aviation Administration connected Wednesday aft a deadly in-air collision astatine the nation's capital.

Trump, speaking to reporters successful the White House briefing room, highlighted efforts by the Biden medication to little aviation standards, though helium acknowledged that the origin of Wednesday night's crash has yet to beryllium determined.

"We indispensable person lone the highest standards for those who enactment successful our aviation system," Trump said. "Only the highest aptitude – you person to beryllium the highest intellect – and psychologically superior people, were allowed to suffice for aerial postulation controllers."

"We person to person our smartest people. It doesn't substance what they look like, however they speak, who they are. What matters is intellect, talent. The connection talent. They person to beryllium talented geniuses," helium continued. "We can't person regular radical doing that job. They won't beryllium capable to bash it."

AMERICAN AIRLINES PLANE, ARMY HELICOPTER COLLIDE OUTSIDE REAGAN NATIONAL AIRPORT NEAR WASHINGTON DC

President Donald Trump says helium signed an enforcement bid past week raising the qualification standards for aerial postulation controllers. (Jim Watson/Pool/AFP via Getty Images)

Trump noted that helium had raised the qualification standards for aerial postulation controllers during his archetypal administration, but helium said President Joe Biden had lowered them erstwhile helium near office.

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The president reinstated the higher standards past week with an enforcement order, helium said.

"We bash not cognize what led to this crash, but we person immoderate precise beardown opinions and ideas, and I deliberation we'll astir apt authorities those opinions now, due to the fact that implicit the years I've watched arsenic things similar this hap and they say, well, we're ever investigating. And past the investigation, 3 years later, they denote it," Trump said, going connected to item an probe including the FAA, Department of Defense and the National Transportation Safety Board.

Southwest craft takes disconnected from Reagan National Airport arsenic flights resume connected Thursday, Jan. 30, 2025. Flights were held pursuing the fatal clang of an American Airlines formation and a U.S. Army Black Hawk chopper past night. (Leigh Green for Fox News Digital)

Trump went connected to item a bid of articles covering the FAA's "diversity push" that helium said occurred anterior to him taking office.

"The FAA is actively recruiting workers who endure terrible intelligence disabilities, psychiatric problems, and different intelligence and carnal conditions nether a diverseness and inclusion hiring inaugural spelled retired connected the agency's website," helium said.

While that connection was contiguous connected the FAA's website during the Biden administration, it was besides contiguous during Trump's archetypal administration.

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When asked for remark connected the inaugural past year, including what roles radical with disabilities would fulfill, the FAA told Fox News Digital that the bureau thoroughly seeks and vets qualified candidates "from arsenic galore sources arsenic possible" for a scope of positions.

Jan. 29 D.C. plane-helicopter collision map.

Later successful the property conference, Trump criticized erstwhile Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg arsenic a "disaster.

"He's conscionable got a bully enactment of bulls--t," helium said of the Democrat.

Reporters past pressed Trump connected the facts of the crash, asking whether helium had grounds that it was caused by incompetence owed to DEI. Trump said the probe is ongoing, but that "it could person been."

Buttigieg was speedy to onslaught backmost connected X, calling Trump's comments "despicable." 

"As families grieve, Trump should beryllium leading, not lying," Buttigieg continued. "We enactment information first, drove down adjacent calls, grew Air Traffic Control, and had zero commercialized hose clang fatalities retired of millions of flights connected our watch."

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Wednesday night's clang progressive and American Airlines jet carrying 60 passengers and 4 unit members. It collided with a subject Blackhawk chopper carrying 3 work members. Trump confirmed that determination were nary survivors.

Fox News' Emma Colton contributed to this report.