On Thursday afternoon, Jennifer Homendy, the chair of the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB), found herself in the spotlight after being asked about President Donald Trump’s comments regarding the deadly crash in Washington D.C. that took place the night before.
Homendy, who was leading a press conference at Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport, was questioned multiple times by reporters about Trump’s controversial statements.
Trump’s Blame Game at the White House Briefing
Earlier in the day, President Trump held a briefing at the White House in response to the tragic crash involving an American Airlines commuter jet and a Black Hawk helicopter.
The crash, which killed 67 people, including 60 passengers on the AA flight and three crew members on the helicopter, had already made headlines.
Trump began his briefing with a somber moment of silence, but quickly shifted focus to blame the crash on various factors, including previous administrations’ policies.
Trump made bold claims, stating that during his presidency, he had “changed the Obama standards to very mediocre at best to extraordinary,” referring to air traffic controller qualifications.
He went on to accuse the Biden administration of reversing his safety standards, and even brought up the Federal Aviation Administration’s (FAA) diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) efforts, suggesting they were partly to blame for the crash.
Homendy’s Response to Trump’s Accusations
When reporters asked Homendy about Trump’s remarks, she pushed back firmly.
“With all due respect, I think the press also likes to state what the probable cause is before we get to the probable cause,” she said.
“So what I’m going to say is you need to give us time.”
She emphasized that the NTSB’s investigation into the crash was ongoing and that it was premature to assign blame before all the facts were known.
Trump Criticizes Diversity Efforts and Buttigieg
In his briefing, Trump also took aim at Biden’s Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg, sarcastically calling him a “real winner” and referring to him as a “disaster” in handling transportation issues.
The former president criticized the diversity measures at the FAA, arguing that they placed too much emphasis on DEI over the qualifications of air traffic controllers.
He also accused the Biden administration of prioritizing diversity over safety, a stance he strongly rejected during his time in office.
Homendy’s Background and Political Appointments
Interestingly, Homendy, who was nominated to the NTSB by President Trump in 2018, was later appointed as the chair of the board by President Joe Biden in 2021.
Homendy has long been involved in transportation safety and has overseen several high-profile investigations during her tenure with the NTSB.
Despite her past ties to the Trump administration, she made it clear in the press conference that the NTSB’s role is to conduct thorough, unbiased investigations, not engage in political debates.
The Importance of Patience in Investigations
As the investigation into the crash continues, Homendy urged the public and media to allow the NTSB the time and space to conduct a comprehensive inquiry.
She reiterated the importance of waiting for the full findings before drawing conclusions, ensuring that safety, not politics, remains the primary focus.
This article was published on TDPel Media. Thanks for reading!
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