Democrats a desperate to pin anything they can on Trump.
Rep. Eric Swalwell (D-Calif.) sparked a wave of criticism after suggesting that President Donald Trump should be held accountable for a small plane crash that occurred in Georgia over the weekend. The crash, which took place in Covington, Georgia, tragically claimed the lives of two people. Swalwell took to social media Monday morning, claiming that Trump had “more planes crash” in his first month in office than any other U.S. president.
He further amplified his remarks in an interview with Fox News Digital, asserting that as president, Trump was responsible for air safety and that all aviation incidents under his watch were his fault. “Trump is President. President Trump is in charge of air safety. All crashes are Trump’s fault,” Swalwell said bluntly.
This outrageous claim did not go unchallenged. White House Communications Director Steven Cheung swiftly fired back, accusing Swalwell of being out of touch with reality. “Swalwell has to be taking commands from Fang Fang or is going through Trump Derangement Syndrome,” Cheung said, referring to Swalwell’s previous ties to a Chinese spy. He called Swalwell’s statement both false and disgusting, slamming the California lawmaker for making such an irresponsible and misleading remark.
Swalwell’s claim appears to be demonstrably false. Data from the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) shows that there have been five fatal aviation incidents since Trump took office, not the numerous crashes Swalwell implied. In fact, there have been 10 fatal aviation incidents during President Biden’s term, which contradicts the notion that Trump’s presidency was more dangerous in terms of aviation safety.
Social media users were quick to call out Swalwell for his reckless remarks, with many accusing him of trying to blame Trump for a tragic accident without any basis. One user asked, “Are you saying the cause for those accidents happened because of policies changed in just one month?”
The crash in Covington, Georgia, occurred when a single-engine aircraft took off from the local airport around 11 p.m. Saturday evening. Contact was lost with the plane approximately 20 minutes later. Authorities later found the wreckage near the runway, confirming that both passengers had died on the scene. The NTSB has launched an investigation into the cause of the crash.
This incident is part of a disturbing trend of aviation accidents, with a significant and concerning helicopter collision over Washington, D.C., just one month prior. Yet, instead of responding with a focus on the causes and solutions, Swalwell’s unfounded political accusations only serve to undermine serious discussions about safety and accountability.
Swalwell’s reckless remarks are another example of how some politicians seem willing to politicize even the most tragic events in an attempt to score cheap points. It’s crucial that we focus on facts, responsibility, and solutions, not politically driven rhetoric that detracts from the truth.