How Trump Hijacked a Tragedy and Turned a Plane Crash into Propaganda
First and foremost, my deepest condolences go out to the 67 families who are grieving after this tragic crash.
While the nation is mourning and on edge, Trump held a press conference that was supposed to be somber and an update on the investigation into last night’s tragic midair collision over the Potomac River. Instead, we witnessed something else entirely—a sickening propaganda spectacle straight out of Russia.
Tragedy Used for Propaganda
While addressing the nation, Trump turned the press conference into a platform for self-promotion and to push his extremist DEI agenda. His first instinct was not to provide facts or reassurance, but to center himself while blaming Democrats and “Biden DEI hiring programs.” Meanwhile, the first priority of people surrounding him at the podium was not truth, but showering the leader with praise.
Just like in Russian press conferences—where government officials must first praise the leader before addressing a crisis—Trump’s White House briefing was a choreographed display of obedience. Before discussing what happened, Vice President J.D. Vance, Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy, and Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth lined up to heap praise on Trump’s leadership. Then, in one unified voice, they pushed his propaganda—diversity hiring and DEI policies were to blame for the disaster.
Despite admitting that the investigation had just begun, Trump declared that FAA hiring policies under Obama and Biden had made air traffic control "too diverse" and, therefore, unsafe. He cited no evidence. He ignored an existing audio recording in which air traffic controllers had given clear instructions to the Army helicopter just before the crash. Reality didn’t matter—only Trump’s political propaganda did.
67 families are in mourning. And this is what the White House focused on.
There was no verified information, no investigation results—just a desperate attempt to turn a national tragedy into a political weapon. It was sickening to watch but even more disturbing to recognize what it represents: the complete takeover of government briefings by propaganda, where truth is nonexistent.
Will Fabricated Evidence Come Next?
In Russia, whenever a crisis occurs, the Kremlin bends reality to serve its interests. If a terrorist attack happens, it’s blamed on political enemies—the U.S., NATO, and Ukraine. If a military failure occurs, it’s framed as sabotage carried out by the same actors. The government manufactures evidence to fit its narrative.
Trump’s White House is following this exact playbook, and the next steps are entirely predictable. Selective leaks of so-called “evidence” will emerge to support Trump’s false claim that DEI is to blame. Right-wing media and influencers will amplify the narrative, turning it into a manufactured scandal while providing a ‘reason’ for mass firings in government agencies. Meanwhile, career officials will continue to be sidelined or purged, replaced with loyalists who will rubber-stamp Trump’s version of events. This isn’t about uncovering the truth or preventing future tragedies—it’s about using this disaster as political fuel to wage war on Trump’s current propaganda—DEI and minority representation in government.
When Truth Doesn’t Fit, They Manufacture It
What makes this so dangerous is that Trump doesn’t need actual evidence—he just needs the tragedy or event to fit into his narrative. Once that narrative is out in the world, his regime will work to validate it by any means necessary, whether it’s true or not. We’ve seen this before in Russia, where national tragedies were exploited to justify crackdowns on civil liberties or push an agenda. This is how authoritarian regimes tighten their grip—by using tragedy as a political weapon. And now, it’s happening here.
We are smarter than this, and we must push back forcefully to ensure that truth is never drowned out by propaganda. Now more than ever, we must challenge disinformation, demand accountability, and refuse to let the truth be erased.
Moscow-On-the-Potomac
Thank you for being so clear. I will admit, when I first got the alerts and before hearing the controllers, my first question was "was air traffic control affected by Trump's nonsense?" I found no evidence of it, then came the recordings, so I relaxed on that.
But note how (despite the differences in origin) he glommed onto the most obvious question and then his administration used it for propaganda...
Whether it ends here or not, this is not the leadership we should expect and demand from our nation's leaders. Thank you for your clear writing and comparison, not to mention what we should look out for. If only the Democratic party was so clear and immediate.