'%20x='0'%20y='0'%20height='100%25'%20width='100%25'%20%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20xlink%3Ahref='data:image/jpg;base64,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'%3E%3C/image%3E%3C/svg%3E)
Martina Navratilova thanked former President Barack Obama for his statement on the tragic Washington DC plane crash after slamming President Donald Trump for his "vile" response. Trump had criticized the Diversity, Equity, and Integrity (DEI) program in the aftermath of the crash.
On Wednesday, January 29, the USA was stunned by a fatal collision between a passenger plane and an army helicopter near the Ronald Reagan National Airport. It is reported that all 67 people involved in the crash were killed.
Trump claimed that during his first term as President, he had improved U.S. aviation standards from "very mediocre at best to extraordinary." However, he argued that after Joe Biden took office, those standards were reversed and became worse than ever before.
Trending
Further criticizing the current administration, Trump took shots at the DEI policies, stating that hiring should be based solely on competence rather than factors like race.
"We want the most competent people. We don't care what race they are. 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, and bad things will happen," he said (via ABC News).
Martina Navratilova, a frequent critic of Trump, took to X and reacted to his comments.
"He is just vile," she wrote.
On the other hand, former President Obama mourned the deaths of the victims. In his statement on X, the 63-year-old wrote:
"Our hearts break for the families who lost loved ones in the tragic plane and helicopter crash at DCA. Michelle and I send our prayers and condolences to everyone who is mourning today, and we’re grateful to the first responders who are doing everything they can to help under extremely difficult circumstances."
Eighteen-time Grand Slam champion Navratilova reshared Obama's statement and added:
"Thank you. And that’s how it’s done…"
Martina Navratilova slams Donald Trump’s FAA comments, backs Al Franken’s criticism of his inaction on aviation safety
Following the tragic plane and helicopter crash in Washington, D.C., Donald Trump criticized the Federal Aviation Administration’s (FAA) diversity policies. He claimed that they prioritized hiring individuals with "severe intellectual and psychiatric disabilities."
In response, former U.S. Senator Al Franken pushed back on Trump's remarks, accusing him of diverting attention from his inaction regarding FAA leadership. Franken argued on X that while DEI policies may not have played a role in the crash, Trump was using them as a distraction.
He pointed out that Trump had failed to appoint a new FAA Administrator until that very day. Franked added that the previous administrator was pressurized to resign during Trump’s presidency due to opposition from Elon Musk over SpaceX regulations.
Martina Navratilova also weighed in, reacting to Franken’s post, writing:
"Lying liars."
Passengers in the crash included elite figure skaters, labor union members, and beloved relatives. Investigators are currently probing the cause.
