On Jan, 29. in Washington D.C., an American Airlines plane carrying 64 people crashed into a Military Helicopter carrying 3 soldiers in midair. The crash occurred over the Potomac River where dozens of bodies had been removed the first day, and on the days leading the rest of the bodies were recovered. Some of these victims were U.S. figure skaters and their families on their way to a skating club in Boston.
As bodies were still being pulled out of the water Trump had a press conference where he said things that rubbed people the wrong way. He had started his speech with support and sympathy for the victims but then he went into how FFA is pushing for diversity and safety. Trump’s response to that was, “I don’t think so. I think it’s just the opposite.” Trump then begins to talk about Secretary Pete Buttigieg who runs the FFA, where Trump says, “45,00 people and he’s run it right into the ground with his diversity.” The extreme ignorance and oblivion of the bodies being pulled from the river and all Trump has to say is that diversity is a bad thing.
Timothy Kahl, a history teacher at West, shared his thoughts about Trump’s comments: “I wish sometimes that leaders (Trump and others in both political parties) would think about what their words are going to do before they say them.”
Trump also expressed his opinion on how FFA allows people with disabilities to work for them. Trump said, “They have to be talented, naturally talented. Geniuses.” It is very wrong to suggest that people with physical disabilities are not able to function enough mentally to handle a job like this.
Kahl expressed what he thought about Trump’s comments about diversity. “A blanket statement without specifics just invites stereotyping and negative attitudes towards someone with a physical disability.”
Not even 2 days later on Jan, 31. in Philadelphia, an airplane carrying six people including a little girl and her mom was transported back to Mexico after fighting an illness for years as well as four crew members.
The plane had crashed into a neighborhood where it had killed everyone on the plane including a man parked in his car nearby, approximately 19 people were injured as well.
These are unfortunate accidents that happened and the way Trump is responding to them is inhumane. However, many people are concerned about the increase in crashes that have happened in 2025. In 2024 there were only three plane crashes throughout the year but in 2025 there were roughly five plane incidents in January alone. Many people have expressed their fear of traveling by plane on social media. Kahl shares his thoughts on the crashes, stating that “I hate that there have been so many tragedies.”
