White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt slammed Sen. Chuck Schumer (D-NY) for suggesting that President Donald Trump’s recent cuts to the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) played a role in the Delta Air Lines crash in Toronto.
Leavitt Calls Schumer’s Comments ‘Irresponsible’
Speaking to Fox News’ America Reports on Tuesday, Leavitt blasted Schumer’s remarks as “incredibly irresponsible” while investigators are still determining the cause of the crash.
“This tragic incident occurred in Canadian airspace, under the supervision of Canadian air traffic controllers,” she emphasized, dismissing Schumer’s claim that Trump’s FAA cuts made U.S. skies less safe.
Schumer Links FAA Cuts to Plane Crash
Schumer took to social media to connect the crash to Trump’s policies. “I’m thankful that everyone is safe, but we keep seeing these incidents day after day,” he wrote. “Meanwhile, Trump’s doing massive layoffs at the FAA—including safety specialists—making our skies less and less safe.”
He doubled down, arguing that the FAA was still responsible for inspecting the aircraft, despite its destination being in Canada.
White House Fires Back
Leavitt quickly hit back, clarifying that “no air traffic controllers have been let go” under Trump’s administration. She also praised Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy for prioritizing hiring “the best and brightest” controllers to ensure air safety.
She then turned the tables on the Biden administration, accusing them of failing to act on aviation safety during their four years in office.
Delta Crash Investigation Ongoing
The Delta jet, which took off from Minneapolis, crash-landed at Toronto Pearson International Airport on Monday. Shocking footage showed the aircraft skidding onto the snow-covered runway, losing its right wing, and bursting into flames before flipping over.
Authorities are still investigating whether the crash was caused by weather conditions, human error, or mechanical failure. Despite the fiery wreckage, all 80 passengers and crew miraculously survived.
