Vance Exposes DEI ‘Scandal’ Involving Air Traffic Controllers

Vice President JD Vance offered insight into President Donald Trump‘s comments about how DEI policies were a factor in the deadly mid-air collision between an American Airlines jet and Army Black Hawk Helicopter near Reagan National Airport in the Washington, D.C., area last week.

Fox News anchor Maria Bartiromo asked Vance if he had any evidence that any of the employees at the control were “DEI hires” during a “Sunday Morning Futures” interview.

“No, the president’s been very clear about this. This is not saying that the person who was at the controls is a DEI hire,” Vance replied, adding: “Let’s just say, first of all, we should investigate everything. But let’s just say the person at the controls didn’t have enough staffing around him or her because we were turning people away because of DEI reasons. There is a very direct connection between the policies of the last administration and short-staffed air traffic controllers. That has to stop.”

Vice President @JDVance on DEI hiring practices at the FAA 🎯

“There’s a very direct connection between the policies of the last administration and short-staffed air traffic controllers…That is a scandal. Thankfully, it's a scandal that the president has stopped." pic.twitter.com/e5NYUYCSlq

— Andrew Surabian (@Surabees) February 2, 2025

Vance continued his answer by responding to the media coverage of Trump’s remarks in the wake of the tragedy in which 67 people were killed.

“By the way, it’s so funny to me. The media has picked up on this — not you, of course, Maria — but others have picked up on this. The president made very clear that he wasn’t blaming anybody, but he was being very explicit about the fact that DEI policies have led our air traffic controllers to be short-staffed. That is a scandal,” Vance said. “Thankfully, it’s a scandal that the president has stopped.” (Read more from “Vance Exposes DEI ‘Scandal’ Involving Air Traffic Controllers” HERE)