Discussing the ongoing investigation into a fatal plane crash over Washington, D.C., on Friday, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth explained that the investigation is focusing on the altitudes of the aircraft involved. He stated, “We are looking at altitude, and the president was clear about that; someone was at the wrong altitude.” However, he also addressed recent criticisms of diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) hiring practices in government, raised by President Donald J. Trump following the disaster.
President Donald Trump has said the Army helicopter exceeded the 200-foot altitude limit on his Truth Social platform. He also slammed Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) diversity hiring policies aimed at recruiting people with “severe intellectual disability” and “psychiatric disability.” He said Joe Biden’s Transportation Secretary, Pete Buttigieg, had run the department “into the ground.”
Regarding DEI programs, Hegseth defended Trump’s statements: “The environment around which we choose pilots or air traffic controllers, as the president pointed out correctly yesterday, better be highest possible standard.”
“I don’t care what background they come from, what their race is, what their gender is, if they are rich or poor. I just need them to be good at their job because I need my flight to land safely,” he continued.
He noted the Biden-Harris government had “pushed real or perceived [diversity] quotas,” stressing, “We are ending all of that; it’s been made very clear across all of our services and commands, it is merit only, and this means we will get the best of the best.”
