US President Donald Trump has addressed this morning’s devastating Washington plane crash, seemingly blaming a diversity push for the death of 67 people.
The incident occurred when American Airlines Flight 5342, operated by PSA from Wichita, Kansas, struck a military helicopter that was carrying three crew members.
The plane was carrying 64 people when it crashed over the Potomac River, with no known survivors.
Speaking to the nation, the 47th President of the United States said: “We have to have our smartest people. It doesn’t matter what they look like, how they speak, who they are. What matters is intellect, talent.
Donald Trump said that he will “restore faith in US air travel”
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“The word talent. You have to be talented, naturally talented geniuses. You can’t have regular people doing that job. They won’t be able to do it.
“But we’ll restore faith in American air travel. I’ll have more to say about that. The FAA’s diversity push includes a focus on hiring people with severe intellectual and psychiatric disabilities.
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“That is amazing. FAA says people with severe disabilities are the most under represented section of the workforce.
“They want them in so they can be air traffic controllers. I don’t think so. That was one week before I entered office. They did a big push to put diversity into the programme.
He continued: “Can you imagine? These are people lives are shortened because of the stress that they have. Brilliant people have to be in those positions.
“Lives are shortened because of the stress when they have many planes coming into one target. You need a special talent and genius to be able to do it.”
The plane was carrying 64 people when it crashed over the Potomac River, with no known survivors.
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Trump pointed out that hiring those with disabilities “doesn’t ensure safe travel” and stated that Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg is a “disaster”.
He said: “The FAA’s website states they include hearing, vision, missing extremities, partial paralysis, complete paralysis, epilepsy, severe intellectual disability, psychiatric disability and dwarfism all qualify for the position of a controller of airplanes.
“Pouring into our country, pouring into a little spot, a little dot on the map, a little runway.
“The initiative is part of the FAA is Diversity and Inclusion Hiring plan. Think of that.
Donald Trump also promised his administration “will get the the bottom” of it
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“The initiative is part of the FAA’s Diversity and Inclusion Hiring Plan, which says diversity is integral to achieving FAA’s mission of ensuring safe and efficient travel. I don’t think so. I think it’s just the opposite.”
He went on: This has been a terrible very short period of time. We’ll get to the bottom of it. So we all saw the same thing. We’ve seen it many times. I’ve had the honour of hearing tapes. The tapes are scary, very scary tapes.
Trump also promised his administration “will get the the bottom” of the issue before a moment of silence for the lost loved ones.