White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt strongly criticized [1] Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) on Tuesday after he attempted to link President Donald Trump to the recent Delta Airlines crash in Toronto.
The accident, which occurred on Monday, saw a Delta airliner crash upon landing and flip upside down.
While the incident was serious, all passengers and crew survived.
However, as investigators continue to determine the cause of the crash, Schumer quickly took to social media, suggesting that Trump’s administration was to blame.
To those asking whether it matters that the plane’s destination was in Canada:
The flight took off from Minneapolis. The FAA was still responsible for inspecting the aviation equipment, and Trump just let go of FAA safety specialists. https://t.co/uCpjHtqLnd [2]
— Chuck Schumer (@SenSchumer) February 18, 2025 [3]
During an interview on Fox News’ America Reports, Leavitt called Schumer’s statement “incredibly irresponsible”, emphasizing that the crash occurred in Canadian airspace and was overseen by Canadian air-traffic controllers.
“It’s incredibly irresponsible for Chuck Schumer to say such a thing when the investigation is still underway,” Leavitt said.
She then directly addressed the facts surrounding the crash and the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), countering claims that the Trump administration had compromised air-traffic safety.
“And as you rightfully pointed out, John, this crash unfortunately took place in Canadian airspace with Canadian air-traffic controllers overseeing it,” she told America Reports co-anchor John Roberts.
Leavitt also pushed back against the claim that Trump’s administration had weakened the FAA by firing air-traffic controllers.
“And the facts about the FAA are that no air-traffic controllers have been let go by Secretary Duffy or this new administration,” she stated.
“In fact, Secretary Duffy has put great emphasis on hiring the best and the brightest air-traffic controllers who want to be part of the FAA.”
Leavitt continued by highlighting the Trump administration’s executive order focusing on merit-based hiring in government agencies, particularly in positions critical to public safety.
“And President Trump signed a very strong executive order to ensure that the FAA and all federal government agencies are focused on merit and skill-based hiring,” she said.
“We want the best and the brightest, the most competent individuals in positions especially of public safety at the FAA, the Department of Transportation, and all departments across this federal government, so we can best serve the American people.”
She then turned attention to the Biden-Harris administration’s approach to aviation safety, criticizing former Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg and Biden’s team for inaction.
“The Biden administration sat on their hands when it came to aviation safety for four years,” she concluded.
Karoline Leavitt just delivered a slam dunk fact-check on Chuck Schumer for blaming the Delta plane crash that took place in CANADA, under Canadian Air traffic control, on Trump.
“It’s incredibly irresponsible for Chuck Schumer to say such a thing when the investigation is still… pic.twitter.com/ke3tiWtbeJ [4]
— George (@BehizyTweets) February 18, 2025 [5]
While the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) and Canadian aviation authorities continue to investigate the cause of the Delta crash, Schumer’s attempt to assign blame to Trump within 24 hours of the incident has drawn scrutiny.
Leavitt’s strong response follows her pattern of directly challenging media narratives and Democratic claims, positioning her as a forceful advocate for the Trump administration’s policies.