On January 29, 2025, American Airlines Flight 5342 and a U.S. Army Black Hawk helicopter tragically collided over the Potomac River in Washington, D.C., killing all 67 individuals on board both aircraft. The next day, President Trump issued this memorandum baselessly blaming the crash on federal diversity, equity, inclusion, and accessibility initiatives and particularly singling out employees with disabilities in the Federal Aviation Administration. The memorandum orders the Secretary of Transportation and the Federal Aviation Administrator to review all FAA hiring decisions and safety protocol changes made during the last four years and replace anyone who does not meet unspecified qualification standards. FAA employment data from 2023 reflects that 64% of the FAA's air traffic controllers were white men and that less than 1% of the FAA's entire workforce had disabilities considered severe.