Democrat Robert Garcia condemns ‘madman’ Donald Trump’s ‘monstrous’ response to D.C. plane crash

Author: Christopher Wiggins

Gay California U.S. Rep. Robert Garcia, aDemocrat who serves as the vice chair of the Congressional Equality Caucus and sits on the House Homeland Security and Oversight and Accountability Committees, has become the latest out Democrat calling out President Donald Trump over comments following Wednesday’s catastrophic plane crash near Washington, D.C. Trump used his first major crisis to rail against diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives, attack his political opponents, and shift blame away from his administration.

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“He’s clearly lost his mind,” Garcia told The Advocate in an interview Friday morning. “His comments were completely monstrous,” Garcia said. “He has no ability to be presidential during a national tragedy.”

Garcia added that it was “sadly what we can expect for the next four years—someone who, every time he speaks, what comes out is racism and xenophobia. I hope that it’s angering and motivating the American public because it certainly is motivating me.”

Garcia’s reaction was part of a growing chorus of frustration from Democrats in Congress. The previous day, lesbian Vermont U.S. Rep. Becca Balint, a member of the House Oversight and Accountability Committee, similarly lambasted Trump’s comments. “This was a loss for the nation, not just for those families who were on that plane or on that helicopter,” she said. “And for him to turn it into just another press conference about himself and how he’s better than his predecessors is sickening.”

Related: U.S. Rep. Becca Balint says Trump’s ‘disgusting’ plane crash press conference proves ‘he is not well’

For Garcia, Trump’s rhetoric was another example of his administration’s fixation on dismantling policies meant to uplift marginalized communities.

“He’s obsessed with trans people, and he’s obsessed with the idea of diversity,” Garcia said. “It’s clearly him and those around him, and their racism and homophobia are driving their decisions. They believe that diversity is a negative in this country when, in reality, diversity is what has made America stronger.”

During a press conference Thursday following the tragedy, Trump deflected responsibility and cast blame on an array of targets. He suggested that DEI hiring policies had weakened the Federal Aviation Administration, claiming that “only the highest aptitude” should be permitted in air traffic control roles. He also falsely claimed that the Biden administration had actively recruited individuals with “severe intellectual disabilities” to oversee aviation safety.

Trump went on to single out gay former Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg, calling him a “disaster” and blaming him for what he characterized as mismanagement of the nation’s air travel system. “He’s just got a good line of bullshit,” Trump said.

Related: Pete Buttigieg blasts ‘despicable’ Donald Trump for blaming D.C. plane crash on DEI

Trump also appeared to blame the military pilot of the Army Black Hawk helicopter, musing that the aircraft “should have been 1,000 feet or 500 feet above” the American Airlines jet it collided with. “For some reason, it just kept going,” he said, adding that the helicopter “had the ability to stop” and implying that the pilot failed to maneuver correctly.

At the same time, Trump questioned whether the air traffic controller should also be held responsible. “Do you blame it on the air traffic controller, too, in addition to the pilots? They should’ve seen it,” he said. The National Transportation Safety Board has yet to issue a final determination on the cause of the crash.

Since returning to office, Trump has moved aggressively to dismantle DEI initiatives, ban transgender people from the military, and roll back federal support for gender-affirming care. Garcia warned that these policies are only the beginning and urged Americans to take action.

“I think people need to start re-engaging. Just resisting alone doesn’t work,” he said. “You actually have to go on the offensive. Some of us are doing that and planning on doing that, regardless of how exhausted we might be. It’s important. But I think the moment requires that because this person is a madman. He’s a madman.”

Garcia pointed to the recent backlash against Trump’s federal funding freeze as evidence that organized resistance can work. “We’ve shown this last week that we actually can win some of these fights,” he said. “His horrible and inhuman comments during the plane crash were just par for the course for Donald Trump.”

The midair collision that Trump politicized happened Wednesday night when an American Airlines jet carrying 64 people—including figure skaters traveling for competition—collided with a U.S. Army Black Hawk helicopter carrying three service members near Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport inVirginia. Both aircraft crashed into the Potomac River, and emergency responders confirmed there were no survivors. Investigators have not determined the official cause, though initial reports indicate that both aircraft operated within standard flight patterns.

The loss of life sent shockwaves through Washington, D.C., and beyond, prompting calls for accountability and answers.

Original Article on The Advocate
Author: Christopher Wiggins