President Trump Signs Executive Order To Investigate Biden-Era DEI In Aviation Sector

Just one day after a passenger flight collided with a Black Hawk military helicopter at Regan National Airport, President Trump is taking action.

He just signed an executive order to end and investigate DEI and woke hiring practices in the aviation sector underneath the Biden administration.

“We want the most competent people, no matter what race they are,” Trump said after signing the new order,

“If they don’t have a great brain, a great power of the brain, they’re not going to be very good at what they do.”

Watch here:

JUST IN: President Trump signs executive order to investigate “DEI & woke policies” Biden imposed on the FAA pic.twitter.com/AertwdH7as

— Breaking911 (@Breaking911) January 30, 2025

BREAKING: Trump signs an executive order to probe the effects of Biden's DEI policies in the FAA following a plane crash.

Hasn’t even been 24 hours.

Trump is a machine.
pic.twitter.com/VSptMwtygS

— Jack (@jackunheard) January 30, 2025

Furthermore, President Trump signed a second order to appoint Chris Rocheleau, a well-vetted and experienced professional, as the new Deputy Administrator of the FAA.

NOW: President Donald J. Trump appoints Chris Rocheleau as acting administrator of the Federal Aviation Administration pic.twitter.com/MTUIjTx94B

— Rapid Response 47 (@RapidResponse47) January 30, 2025

During a press conference earlier this afternoon, President Trump called out Joe Biden and Barack Obama for pushing DEI policies at agencies like the FAA.

President Trump just correctly called out Biden and Obama for hiring DEI employees at the FAA and other critical agencies.

Trump says “TALENT” needs to be the priority and that’s why he signed an executive order against DEI and for MERIT. pic.twitter.com/ib1HyYHDPO

— Paul A. Szypula 🇺🇸 (@Bubblebathgirl) January 30, 2025

Stephen Miller broke down the implications of Trump’s new executive order in an appearance on Fox News:

🚨MILLER: Trump’s FAA executive order will replace employees not hired on merit:

"It is a betrayal of the American people to say that you are going to prioritize the hiring of people with severe intellectual defects to serve at the Federal Aviation Administration, the entity… pic.twitter.com/U0gwKkXKob

— Western Lensman (@WesternLensman) January 31, 2025

From The Hill:

President Trump on Thursday signed a memorandum to end diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) practices in the aviation sector and to assess aviation safety, as well as an executive order to appoint a new head of the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA).

Trump’s new executive actions come in the wake of a deadly midair collision near Ronald Reagan National Airport on Wednesday night between a passenger plane and a military helicopter.

Trump earlier on Thursday during a press briefing appeared to blame DEI for weakening the FAA. Later, in the Oval Office after signing the actions, he said he wasn’t sure if race or gender played a role in the collision near National Airport but added that “incompetence might have played a role.”

The memorandum on DEI orders for newly minted Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy and the newly appointed acting FAA administrator, Christopher Rocheleau, to ensure they undo practices that may have been in place during the Biden administration around hiring.

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“In other words, competence,” Trump said, stressing that competence will be promoted over DEI initiatives in the aviation sector with his latest action.

When asked whether DEI practices actually played a role in the crash the night prior, he replied, “it may have, I don’t know.”

Fox News added:

President Donald Trump on Thursday signed two executive orders appointing a new Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) deputy administrator and ordering an immediate assessment of aviation safety.

The orders came after an American Airlines plane carrying 64 people and an Army Black Hawk helicopter carrying three soldiers crashed in midair at about 9 p.m. Wednesday.

The aircraft plummeted into the frigid Potomac River near Reagan National Airport, leaving 67 people presumed dead.

In the Oval Office Thursday, Trump signed an order appointing Chris Rocheleau acting administrator of the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA).

Rocheleau most recently served as National Business Aviation Association (NBAA) CEO and held multiple leadership roles at the FAA during his more than 20-year tenure, including director of the office of emergency operations and investigations.

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