WASHINGTON, D.C. – Representative Adam Smith (D-Wash.), Ranking Member of the House Armed Services Committee, issued the following statement in response to President Trump blaming diversity requirements at the Federal Aviation Administration for the fatal collision of an Army helicopter and Canadair Regional Jet over the Potomac River Wednesday night.

“As our country mourns this tragedy, I join millions of Americans in sending my deepest condolences to the loved ones of those killed in last night’s air disaster. They and the first responders who braved freezing temperatures and extreme conditions are in my thoughts and prayers. I will continue doing everything that I can as Ranking Member of the House Armed Services Committee to work with my colleagues on both sides of the aisle to ensure a thorough investigation is conducted by the National Transportation Safety Board and the United States Army so that we can use the facts of the matter to try and ensure similar tragedies are avoided.
 
“The magnitude of the loss of these 67 lives cannot be overstated, and it makes it all the more appalling that the President of the United States would choose to use this national tragedy to cynically push his political agenda ahead of any substantive investigation. 
 
“By falling back on his catch-all excuses and blame game tirades, the President is impeding efforts to ascertain the true causes of this disaster and the steps that should be taken to prevent future tragedies. While we all crave immediate answers, we should give the National Transportation Safety Board time and space to conduct a rigorous investigation and let the facts drive our response. In addition, it is critical that we thoroughly examine the policies, procedures, training, and equipment decisions made by the Department of Defense to ensure that we are able to minimize preventable aviation tragedies. The President is not seeking to solve real problems by blaming DEI for this tragedy, and he is failing to lead at a time when we need it most.
 
“Of course, this is not the first time that President Trump has sought to callously take advantage of times of extreme trauma rather than take action to prevent future tragedies. We saw him do this after a terrorist attack in New Orleans and following the wildfires in California. It seems there is no end to the depths the president is willing to sink to justify the warped ideological warfare he continues to wage using the highest office in the land and regardless of the division, discord, and damage he causes. 
 
“For the sake of the country, I urge the President to set aside his political games and work with Congress to ensure that we are able to do the job each of us has been elected to do, regardless of our political or personal ideologies.”