Another airplane collision occurred today, February 19th, 2025—no explanations, no end in sight.
Since President Donald Trump’s second term began on January 20, 2025, the skies over America have become increasingly dangerous. In just a few short weeks, six significant aviation accidents have rocked the nation, leading many to wonder: is this just a coincidence, or is there something more at play? When it comes to airline safety, there’s no room for error—yet, at the same time these disasters unfold, the Trump administration is slashing the workforce of the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA). A simple question arises: could these two things be related?
A Surge in Airline Accidents
Here’s what we know. Since January 2025, the U.S. has seen the following deadly aviation incidents:
- January 29, 2025: A midair collision between an American Airlines regional jet and a U.S. Army Black Hawk helicopter over the Potomac River near Washington, D.C., killed 67 people. (The Guardian)
- January 31, 2025: A medical transport jet crashed into a Philadelphia neighborhood, killing all six onboard and one on the ground. (The Sun)
- February 5, 2025: A commuter flight in Alaska crashed on sea ice, taking ten lives. (AP News)
- February 10, 2025: A Learjet 35A owned by Mötley Crüe singer Vince Neil veered off the runway in Arizona, colliding with a parked jet. The pilot died, and three others were injured. (AP News)
- February 17, 2025: A Delta Air Lines flight from Minneapolis crash-landed in Toronto, flipping upon landing. All 80 passengers survived, but 21 were hospitalized. (The Guardian)
- February 19, 2025: Two small planes collided midair in Arizona, leading to two fatalities. (AP News)
Meanwhile, the FAA is Shrinking
At the same time as these accidents are occurring, the Trump administration has been cutting FAA personnel at an alarming rate. The Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), led by Elon Musk, has overseen mass layoffs at the FAA. The administration claims only 400 employees were let go, but insiders say the numbers could be much higher.
Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy has stated that no air traffic controllers were fired, but aviation experts have pointed out that the layoffs included critical safety personnel such as aviation safety assistants and maintenance mechanics. (Time)
It is in an insult to our intelligence to call this coincidence
Common sense tells us that fewer qualified workers overseeing our air travel means more room for mistakes. Planes don’t just fall out of the sky. Midair collisions don’t just happen. And yet, the administration insists that its budget-cutting measures have nothing to do with this dramatic increase in airline disasters.
If this was just one or two accidents, maybe we could brush it off. But six serious incidents in less than a month? That’s no accident—that’s a pattern.
The FAA’s own former employees are speaking out, warning that these layoffs have created serious vulnerabilities in the nation’s air traffic safety infrastructure. A recently fired FAA technician stated, “We were already short-staffed, and now they’ve gutted us. If you think these crashes are bad now, wait six months.” (AP News)
The Verdict: This President has no concern for the lives of air travelers
This isn’t about politics; it’s about safety. Air travel in the U.S. has long been among the safest in the world, thanks to a robust regulatory system and a workforce dedicated to keeping planes in the air and passengers safe. But when you strip that system down, accidents are inevitable.
History shows us that deregulation and budget cuts in critical safety sectors almost always lead to disaster. Now, Americans are DYING.
The real question is: how many more people have to die before something changes?
