NATCA Head Defends Controllers After Trump Blames Fatal Midair on DEI Policies

President on Thursday suggested the collision between a passenger jet and U.S. Army helicopter was caused by diversity initiatives.

Friday, January 31, 2025 at 04:20 PM ET

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A Bombardier CRJ-700 jet, operating American Eagle Flight 5342, collided with a U.S. Army Black Hawk helicopter and crash landed in the Potomac River. [Getty Images/Win McNamee]

Key Takeaways:

President Trump suggested that diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) policies were to blame for a recent fatal mid-air collision near KDCA, concurrently rolling back FAA DEI hiring policies and ordering a review of past hiring decisions.
The president of the National Air Traffic Controllers Association (NATCA), Nick Daniels, strongly refuted Trump's claims, emphasizing the rigorous training and high qualifications of air traffic controllers and stating it's premature to speculate on the accident's cause.
Daniels also highlighted a significant shortage of certified air traffic controllers leading to combined positions, a concern echoed by other aviation groups who rejected Trump's assertions and urged patience for the National Transportation Safety Board's (NTSB) investigation.

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The president of the National Air Traffic Controllers Association (NATCA) refuted President Donald Trump’s suggestion that diversity policies were to blame for a collision between an American Eagle flight and a U.S. Army Black Hawk near Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport (KDCA) on Wednesday night.

Trump during a press conference on Thursday said that diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) hiring “could have been” responsible for the collision, which is believed to have killed all 67 people aboard the passenger jet and helicopter. But that’s news to NATCA president Nick Daniels.

Jack Daleo

Jack is a staff writer covering advanced air mobility, including everything from drones to unmanned aircraft systems to space travel—and a whole lot more. He spent close to two years reporting on drone delivery for FreightWaves, covering the biggest news and developments in the space and connecting with industry executives and experts. Jack is also a basketball aficionado, a frequent traveler and a lover of all things logistics.