Cnn
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There is a good reason why American commercial lines have traveled billions of kilometers in complete safety since the last major tragedy.
Each incident, near Miss or accident is meticulously investigated, without precipitated conclusions, political bias or uninformed speculation. The result is an industry based on several layers of redundancy, has faithfully followed security protocols, pilot control lists and practice codes that have made the business against nature of humans in the sky safer than climbing in A car.
President Donald Trump ignored all these principles when take on disaster In Washington’s crowded sky The day before, in one of the most amazing shows in the White House Information Salle since its last mandate.
In his first national crisis since the reallocation of the presidency, he put his political objectives and his need for adulation Above the need to find intact answers on the disaster and indescribable pain of the families of the victims.
Trump’s approach highlighted his determination to break the mold of all other modern presidents and to prioritize what he called “common sense” compared to traditional expertise in government – to include surveys on Air accidents. But his appearance also underlined a fundamental question raised by his second mandate: if his impulse to be disruptive can sometimes be counterproductive and even compromise the well-being of Americans.
After reading a written declaration plunging the loss of more than 60 passengers on the American airline jet and the staff of the three on an army helicopter, Trump went from national unity to moving division.
“In moments like this, the differences between the Americans do not give rise to anything in relation to the bonds of affection and loyalty which unite us all, both as a merchans and even as nations” , said Trump, in a moving statement that spoke to his potential as a healer in times of national stress.
Trump blame, obama, biden and buttigieg
But a few moments later, it went from the secular presidential role of the supply of consolation and comfort to the restoration of partisanry and speculation.
“I put security first. Obama, Biden and the Democrats first put politics, and they put politics at a level that no one has ever seen, because it was the lowest level, “said Trump.
The bodies still taken from the potomac, Trump blamed the diversity of the air traffic control industry for the accident and said it was due to the policies of former president Joe Biden. He deeply took advantage of the transport secretary of the last administration, Pete Buttigieg – a future candidate for the potential democratic presidential election.
“We must have our smartest people. No matter what they look like, how they talk, who they are, “said Trump. “It’s important – the intellect, talent. The word “talent” – you must be talented and naturally talented geniuses. “And referring to air traffic controllers, he said:” You cannot have ordinary people to do this work. ”
Trump has not proven that hiring diversity practices had caused the accident. And as he often does, he offered a warning which gives him a plausible denial that his allies can point and accuse the adversaries and journalists who highlight his various bizarre claims to misinterpret what he said. “It could have been,” he said, openly admitting that he could not prove what he said.
“Admittedly, for an air traffic controller, we want the most brilliant, the most intelligent, the most sharp. We want someone who is psychologically superior, and that’s what we are going to have, “said Trump. In the context of his previous remarks, his comment implied that only white men are suitable for keeping planes in the sky.
Wednesday crash surveys will examine all aspects of the accident, including the instructions given by the controllers, the staff of the Reagan National Airport Tower and the control of the approach, the actions of Pilots, the safety procedures in place and the potential complications of one of the most popular air spaces in the country. The wave of quasi -accidents and almost accidents – especially on the airport tracks in recent years and recent years – has propagated fear among the public.
There may also be a case to probe hiring practices for air traffic and retention. One of the reasons why Trump was elected last year was that his criticism of hiring diversity practices resounded with certain Americans.
Trump’s instinct to give a complete and frank image to what happened on Thursday could have been a breath of fresh air, if he had stuck to the facts.
“We do not know what has led to this crash, but we have very strong opinions and ideas, and I think we are likely to draw these opinions now because over the years, I have seen things like This one performs, and they say “well, we are still investigating”, then, the investigation three years later, they announced it, “he said.
The President is right that the limited flow of information after disasters and published technical reports of years later do not give Americans the respect they deserve to make their own transport decisions. And Biden’s inability to the authority of the project has made in recent years, sometimes leaves an impression that no one was in command.
But Trump’s performance has only managed to establish immediate and baseless conclusions as to what caused the crash, added layers of speculation that will immediately hinder the public’s understanding of the investigation and injected Mourning family members in the heat of unleashed political controversy.
And using the power of presidential rhetoric, he also created a huge problem for official investigators who speak in public of the accident and should now issue declarations that conflict with the commander -in -chief – which could put their employment and integrity of the probe in danger.
It should be noted that Trump did not appear with experts at his press conference. Instead, he was joined by a succession of lay people without any in-depth experience of commercial or military aviation whose main function seemed to be praising his leadership and pushing his points of anti-diaphility.
“I would simply note that the management of the president was remarkable during this crisis,” said Sean Duffy, the newly confirmed transport secretary. “We will not accept the passage of the ball,” he said, a few moments after Trump attributed the full blame for the accident.
The former presenter of Fox News, Pete Hegseth, who has just become defense secretary, congratulated Trump for his “leadership and courage” and promised that “we will have the best and the most brilliant in all possible positions. … It is Coulouter and based on merit, the best possible leaders, whether it be Black Hawks and flying planes. »»
Like Trump, Hegseth has given the impression that minorities and women may not be suitable for such positions. But he did not approach the key problem known for all Washingtonians – the massive levels of military aircraft often flying towards and from the Pentagon and other nearby military facilities which operate near the tracks of Reagan National Airport .
Vice-president JD Vance, also appearing on the podium of briefing rooms, congratulated Trump’s “direction” and raised similar points on hiring diversity.
No one in the National Transportation Safety Board – normally the main agency on such occasions – has seemed to answer questions from journalists. This corresponded to a model of his first mandate in which Trump preferred his own “common sense” to expertise – in particular in the middle of the Pandemic Covid -19. The most obvious body of this trend was in April 2020 when the president, on the same podium, wondered aloud, to the horror of his medical experts, whether it be disinfectant “by Injection inside or almost cleaning ”could be used to treat the lungs of coronavirus patients.
Alan Diehl, a former NTSB investigator, said that the agency had long been one of the most independent in the United States government.
“We will see if this continues in the new administration,” Diehl told Brianna Keilar from CNN. “The NTSB was held proudly and great and called it as they saw it and that is what the Congress wanted.”
Trump ended his briefing by ensuring the public that he is sure to fly. Although whoever looks and listens to the previous half hour may wonder.
“As soon as I arrived, we started to go out and get the best people because I said:” It is not appropriate, what they do. I think it’s a huge mistake, ” he said.
“You know, they like to do things and they like to take them too far, and it is sometimes what ends up happening. Now, with that, I do not blame the controller, I say that there are things that you could question, like the height of the helicopter, the height of the plane, be at the same level and go to opposite directions. It is not a positive.
“But no, the flight is very safe. We have the safest flight in the world and we will keep it like this. »»