Trump’s Comments On American Airlines Crash ‘Despicable,’ Says Pete Buttigieg: President Should Be ‘Leading, Not Lying’ – Alcoa (NYSE:AA)

Pete Buttigieg, former U.S. Secretary of Transportation, criticized President Donald Trump’s handling of the recent fatal crash of an American Airlines Group Inc AA plane, highlighting the safety record during his tenure.

What Happened: On Thursday, Buttigieg took to X to express his disapproval of Trump’s response to the tragic midair collision that resulted in 64 fatalities.

He emphasized the safety measures implemented during his time in office, including the growth of Air Traffic Control and the reduction of close calls.

“Despicable. As families grieve, Trump should be leading, not lying. We put safety first, drove down close calls, grew Air Traffic Control, and had zero commercial airline crash fatalities out of millions of flights on our watch,” Buttigieg said.

Buttigieg also pointed out that one of Trump’s first acts as President was to fire and suspend key personnel who helped ensure aviation safety. He called on the President to demonstrate leadership and outline measures to prevent such incidents from recurring.

See Also: Elon Musk Brushes Aside Concerns On Trump’s EV Policies: ‘Sustainable Transport Is Inevitable … It Can’t Be Stopped’

Why It Matters: The midair collision, involving an American Airlines regional jet and a U.S. Army Black Hawk helicopter, is the deadliest air disaster on U.S. soil since 2001.

The crash occurred near Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport, leading to the suspension of all takeoffs and landings for the rest of the evening. This incident happened just nine days after President Trump’s inauguration, during which he fired the heads of the Transportation Security Administration and Coast Guard.

Trump suggested that diversity, equity and inclusion policies could have been a factor in the fatal crash, but did not provide any evidence. When pressed on his claims, the president said he had “common sense.”

Price Action: American Airlines stock closed nearly 2.5% lower at $16.90 on Thursday and gained 0.3% in the after-hours trading, according to data from Benzinga Pro.

Photo Courtesy: Rich Koele On Shutterstock.com

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This story was generated using Benzinga Neuro and edited by Shivdeep Dhaliwal