Quotes
It is extremely inappropriate for the President to use this tragedy to push an anti-diversity hiring agenda,
said Jess Davidson, a spokeswoman at the American Association of People with Disabilities
It is an utterly bad faith and stupid argument,
NYU’s Taylor saidWhat he’s saying is you’ve had a giant failure, you’ve also had a diversity program, therefore the diversity program’s the cause of the failure,
said Alison Taylor, an associate professor at New York University’s Stern school of business focused on corporate responsibility and business ethicsChris is an outstanding leader who will be good for the FAA, good for aviation and good for the country, especially at this challenging time,
said NBAA President and CEO Ed Bolen
During my first term, my Administration raised standards to achieve the highest standards of safety and excellence,
Trump wrote in the memoWhat I've seen so far, do I think this was preventable? Absolutely."
He also told reporters on Thursday
It's one thing for internet pundits to spew up conspiracy theories. It's another for the president of the United States of America to throw out idle speculation even as victims are still being recovered and families are still being notified. It turns your stomach."
Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, a Democrat, said on X on ThursdayI changed the Obama standards from very mediocre at best to extraordinary,
Trump said during the press conferenceWe will not accept excuses. We will not accept passing the buck."
Secretary of Transportation Sean Duffy said at the Thursday press conference
A heartbreaking tragedy for Wichita, and for our entire country."
Vice President JD Vance wrote on X (formerly Twitter) on Thursday
This is a difficult day for all of us at American Airlines, and our efforts now are focused entirely on the needs of our passengers, crew members, partners, first responders, along with their families and loved ones. We understand and appreciate the people are eager for information, please know that we will continue to share accurate and timely information as soon as we can, but anything we must report, must be accurate."
American Airlines CEO Robert Isom said in a video statementThis review shall include a systematic assessment of any deterioration in hiring standards and aviation safety standards and protocols during the Biden administration."
He continuedThis shocking event [the crash] follows problematic and likely illegal decisions during the Obama and Biden Administrations that minimized merit and competence in the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA).
In a White House memo shared with Newsweek on Thursday afternoon, the Trump administration reiterated blame on the previous Democratic administrations, writingWe must have only the highest standards for those who work in our aviation system,
Trump saidThe initiative is part of the FAA (Federal Aviation Administration) diversity and inclusion hiring plan
Trump added
We can only accept the best and the brightest in positions of safety,
Duffy said, echoing Trump's languageIt may have, I don't know
But at another point, asked race and gender played a role in the tragic accident, Trump said, I think we need very smart people running the flights and doing it,
Trump saidI will be meeting with some people that were very badly hurt, with their family member, obviously, but I'll be meeting with some of the families,
he saidTime for the President to show actual leadership and explain what he will do to prevent this from happening again,
he wrote