On Sunday, Secretary of Transportation Sean Duffy reassured Americans that flying is safe after two recent plane crashes raised concerns. He noted that investigations into these serious incidents are ongoing and reinforced President Donald Trump’s criticisms of diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) programs.

Duffy was appointed as transportation secretary just hours before a deadly crash close to Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport, which resulted in 67 fatalities. While the investigation into the cause of the collision is still in progress, he sought to calm public fears about air travel.

“Air travel is the safest mode of transportation you can choose within the country. Disasters like these can make people anxious, but overall, flying remains safe,” Duffy stated in an interview with CNN. He also mentioned that he is seeking clarity on whether the local air traffic control was understaffed and why the Black Hawk helicopter involved was flying at that altitude near such busy runways.

Additionally, Duffy commented on a Medevac jet that crashed in Philadelphia, resulting in at least 7 deaths and injuring 19 others. He expressed hope for more information once the National Transportation Safety Board can retrieve the aircraft’s “black box.”

“Until we have that, the reasons for the crash will remain unclear,” he added.

However, Duffy’s comments not only focused on safety but also mirrored Trump’s and his allies’ criticisms of DEI initiatives shortly after the DC-area crash.

Trump remarked at a White House briefing on Thursday: “We must maintain the highest standards for anyone involved in our aviation system. Only individuals with the highest qualifications and ability should be allowed to work as air traffic controllers.”

Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth and Vice President JD Vance also criticized DEI, claiming that merit-based hiring practices have been undermined.

“The era of DEI at the Defense Department is over,” Hegseth declared.

Despite these criticisms, Trump and other senior officials have not provided evidence linking hiring practices or diversity efforts to the incident or indicating that factors like race, gender, or ability had any role in the crash.

Duffy expressed concern regarding diversity and hiring policies as well, stating, “The previous administration prioritized initiatives like renaming the cockpit or changing ‘notice to Airmen’ to ‘notice to air mission’ over actual safety concerns. They focused on electric vehicles and sustainability issues instead of addressing fundamental safety matters.”

Still, he acknowledged that his department plans to tackle the significant understaffing issues experienced at control towers nationwide, a problem exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic and recent trends.

“We’ve been facing a shortage of air traffic controllers in America for an extended period,” he admitted during a separate appearance on Fox News.

“Today, our air traffic controllers are overwhelmed and overworked. While that’s not an excuse, it is a reality we need to contend with,” Duffy elaborated. He also emphasized that immediate solutions will not be simple.

“This is a long-term plan—it’s going to take a year, two, or even three years to see significant improvements in the number of qualified air traffic controllers managing our airspace,” he stated.

Duffy labeled the crashes as “tragic” and expressed his condolences for the families affected. He emphasized the need for a commitment to ensuring that similar incidents do not happen again, sparing other families from experiencing such devastating losses due to air travel disasters like those in Philadelphia and DC.