By Hamil R. Harris
The icy waters of the Potomac River claimed the lives of 67 people who died after an American Airlines jet collided with an Army helicopter just a few yards from Reagan National Airport.
The fatal mid-air collision is similar to the incident involving an Air Florida jet that crashed into the Potomac in January of 1982. 74 passengers died attempting to land at the airport across the river from the US Capitol.
Washington DC Mayor Muriel Bowser and Fire Chief John Donnelly mobilized search and rescue assets from the District, Maryland, and Virginia who worked all night to rescue crash victims.
But by day break it had been concluded that all those aboard the plane and on the helicopter died in the crash in which debris was scattered in the Potomac River.
President Trump spoke to the country around noon but instead of consoling families or encouraging first responders, he spent most of his words blaming the incident on Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion programs of his predecessors.
“It’s terrible,” Trump said.”This was in the Obama administration, just before my getting there, and we took care of African Americans, Hispanic Americans.”
Trump’s comments came during a White House press conference where he offered no evidence to his claim, Trump pushed even harder when he was told that DEI policies existed when he was in office.
“I changed the Obama policy, and we had a very good policy and then Biden came in and he changed it. And then when I came in two days, three days ago, I said, a new order, bringing it to the highest level of intelligence.”
Trump’s comments were condemned by Senator Chuck Schumer (D-NY) and House Democrat Hakeem Jefferies who accused Trump of sparking a political “street fight.”
“This morning my heart goes out to everyone involved in the heartbreaking, horrible incident at Reagan Washington Airport last night. I’m praying for the victims and their families,” Schumer said on the floor of the Senate.
“But it is one thing for pundits to spew off conspiracies, its another for the President of the United States to throw out idle speculation as bodies are being recovered and families are still being notified.”
In the weeks since he was sworn in, Trump has signed more than 40 executive orders to abolish DEI programs, deport illegal immigrants born into US and to dispatch ICE agents to arrest violators in churches and schools.
But to use DEI as an excuse for the National Airport crash is a new low, said Democratic lawmakers and Civil Rights groups.
“It is outrageous that the President is rolling back critical Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) programs,” said NAACP President Derrick Johnson, “DEI programs help ensure that everyone can prosper. It’s clear that President Trump does not value equal opportunity.”
“This is all part of a calculated strategy to redefine the role of government, privatize essential public services, and further discrimination,” Johnson said. “Elections have consequences and it’s clear that this election has put a target on Black America’s back.”
The death of the 60 passengers, four crew members and three people on a training mission on board the Army helicopter is now being investigated the National Transportation Safety Board, which is located not far from Reagan National Airport.
While Trump, Vice-President JD Vance, and his Secretaries of Defense and Transportation spent more time condemning DEI than offering sympathy to the families, Jennifer L. Homendy, the chair of the National Transportation Safety Board, said their investigation will only focus on several factors: “the human, the machine, and the environment.”
J. Todd Inman, member of the National Transportation Safety Board, said during a press conference at Reagan National Airport that their panel will focus on the facts.
“We will not be determining the probable cause of the accident while we are here on scene,”Inman said. “nor will we speculate about what may have caused this accident.”