Virginia leaders slam Trump’s immediate, baseless blame of DEI for crash

“Bodies are still being pulled from the Potomac, and instead of showing even an ounce of compassion for the victims, Trump blames DEI and diversity,” Virginia House Speaker Don Scott posted on X.

As the nation mourned the loss of 67 lives following a midair collision near Virginia’s Reagan National Airport, most political leaders offered their thoughts and prayers as the search for answers got underway. 

Meanwhile, President Donald Trump offered up his signature mix of racist grievances and misinformation at a press conference today. After speaking to the press about the midair collision, Trump went on to attack hiring initiatives under the Obama and Biden Administrations. 

“A group within the FAA…determined that the workforce was too white – that they had concerted efforts to get the administration to change that and to change it immediately,” Trump said. “This was in the Obama administration.”

Some Virginia leaders criticized Trump’s choice to immediately blame DEI as the cause despite no evidence of the cause of the crash yet, something he admitted wasn’t known just minutes earlier in his remarks.  

“Bodies are still being pulled from the Potomac, and instead of showing even an ounce of compassion for the victims, Trump blames DEI and diversity,” Virginia House Speaker Don Scott said in a post on X. “When it’s not reckless incompetence fueling chaos, it’s a heartless cruelty that disregards basic humanity.”

Bodies are still being pulled from the Potomac, and instead of showing even an ounce of compassion for the victims, Trump blames DEI and diversity. When it’s not reckless incompetence fueling chaos, it’s a heartless cruelty that disregards basic humanity. Buckle up, folks. https://t.co/ptXsHsABgg

— Don Scott (@DonScott757) January 30, 2025

Sen. Mark Warner of Virginia said in a statement to The Dogwood that it was, “unfortunately typical that President Trump’s first response to this tragedy is to hurl baseless attacks, rather than focus on the investigation at hand.”

“I’m continuing to think of the 67 lives lost last night and am working to get to the bottom of how this happened, and how we prevent a similar situation from occurring in the future,” Warner said.

Sen. Tim Kaine of Virginia said in a statement to The Dogwood that, “President Trump’s attempt to politicize the tragedy, with no facts to back up his claims, could not have been more insensitive to suffering families still awaiting the recovery of their loved ones.”

“First and foremost, my heart goes out to the loved ones of those who died in last night’s horrific crash, and our priority right now should be supporting these families,” Kaine said.

Asked about Trump’s comments on DEI, Aaron Fritschner, Deputy Chief of Staff for Rep. Don Beyer of Virginia’s 8th congressional district, said in a statement to The Dogwood, “Congressman Beyer is focused on supporting the victims of this tragedy, and on making sure there is a proper investigation and a professional response to ensure this never happens again.”

This story was updated at 4:56 pm ET to incorporate Kaine’s statement. 

My heart goes out to all those who lost loved ones last night. I want those families to know that my office is here to help you in any way we can in this time of grief and loss. pic.twitter.com/xBp6jRWymi

— Rep. Don Beyer (@RepDonBeyer) January 30, 2025