Months of noise surrounding the value of diversity, equity, and inclusion measures reached an unpleasant fever pitch last night when President Trump blamed Wednesday’s midair crash over Washington D.C. – in which 67 people tragically lost their lives – on DEI.
Addressing the nation in a role described by NBC News as ‘consoler-in-chief,’ the president began with a moment of silence. The words that followed were, initially, poignant and practical.
The country’s “hour of anguish” would be met with a “systematic and comprehensive investigation,” Trump said, while praising first responders for their swift action. But the reassurances for families and friends of the crash victims, first responders, and all Americans were short-lived.
The President swiftly pivoted to baseless claims that blamed the tragedy on DEI measures introduced under his Democratic presidential predecessors, arguing – without evidence – that they lowered hiring standards for air traffic controllers.
He specifically attacked the Federal Aviation Authority’s disability recruitment program, claiming that it targeted “people with severe intellectual and psychiatric disabilities” to serve as air controllers, jeopardizing the safety of air travel in the US.
Vice President JD Vance further claimed that white applicants for air traffic controller vacancies had been rejected solely based on their skin color.
In reality, the DEI’s FAA program covered a spread of roles across the agency, rather than specifically targeting air traffic controllers. Moreover, hires on the agency’s air traffic control system can only qualify for the role if they bring years of specialized training, appropriate licenses, and medical certifications that show they meet the necessary standards of physical and mental health.
That didn’t stop Trump from claiming that the diversity program compromised the quality of air traffic controllers at the agency, thereby endangering safe travel: “The initiative is part of the FAA’s ‘diversity and inclusion hiring plan,’ which says diversity is ‘integral to achieving the FAA’s mission of ensuring safe and efficient travel.’ I don't think so. I don't think so. I think it's just the opposite.”
Asked why he was blaming the crash on DEI before any formal investigation had concluded, Trump replied: “Because I have common sense.”
Trump’s tactless DEI attack shows why employers must ignore noisy scapegoating
There we have it. Even America’s first major air disaster for more than 15 years, in which 67 people lost their lives, is not safe from some anti-DEI points scoring.
Trump himself admitted that we “do not know what led to this crash.” But that wasn’t going to stop him from using his favorite punching bag as a scapegoat.
Even for those who have been most staunchly opposed to diversity measures in the workplace, the timing of his remarks and the willingness to attack without waiting for any meaningful evidence will surely leave a bad taste in the mouth.
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We cannot take his words, however, without keeping in mind the context of months of anti-DEI activism that has forced the likes of McDonald’s, Walmart, Ford, Harley-Davidson, and Target, to ditch diversity commitments; as well as Trump’s own executive orders and directives issued as a top priority in the early days of his presidency to dismantle federal DEI programs and place officials on paid administrative leave.
Pressure from conservative influencers such as Robby Starbuck, a small but not insignificant rise in shareholder activism, and the threat of customer boycotts have been too much for some businesses and politicians to ignore.
And yet for all that noise, research continues to show that diversity measures are not just crucial in creating a more equitable workplace for all employees, but that they are good for business. It is for that reason that the majority of Fortune 500 businesses and HR professionals plan to maintain their investment in and commitment to DEI.
Yes, diversity and inclusion strategies are not always perfect. No corporate policy, program, or philosophy ever is. However, rather than scrapping them outright, businesses must continue to find ways to evolve and improve these practices, welcoming meaningful feedback and criticism from those who do not see their value—provided they are open to healthy discussion and are not simply looking for someone to attack.
Although it is tricky when the noise comes from the top rungs of our society, employers and HR professionals must remember to tune out the throb of anti-DEI criticism when it is made without any evidence.
They must keep in mind that some who attack diversity and inclusion measures are often prepared to do so without proof to support their claim. Without bothering to understand how these programs actually work. Without consideration of when and where they make DEI their scapegoat—even a public address to a nation grieving the tragic loss of life.
In the face of such distraction, it becomes even more critical for businesses to root their HR and hiring policies in data-backed research and employee listening rather than letting baseless, dangerous scapegoating define their corporate agenda.