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Trump and His Allies Use Deadly Disasters to Advance “Whitening” Policy
When investigators started the heartbreaking recovery work following the tragic collision of American Airlines Flight 5342 and a Blackhawk helicopter over the Potomac River, President Donald held a news conference that turned into another harsh critique of his predecessors, Presidents Joe Biden and Barack Obama and their administration’s support of diversity, equity and inclusion.
“Their policy was horrible and their politics was even worse,” Trump said, claiming that their policies led to a dearth of competent workers in the federal government. “They actually came out with a directive – ‘too white’ – and we want the people that are competent.”
Reporters questioned his assertions because the investigation was preliminary, and there was no evidence the cause of the disaster that claimed 67 lives was connected to DEI.
“Because I have common sense, OK, and unfortunately a lot of people don’t,” Trump responded.
House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries described the president’s remarks as “shameful” and “irresponsible.”
He added, “Bodies are still being pulled from the Potomac, children we killed, future ice skating Olympians were killed, future leaders in Wichita, KS, and beyond were killed as a result of this tragedy.”
The 47th president spent the first two weeks of his administration taking swipes at and denigrating Black Americans and other minorities, suggesting that white workers are more qualified. Within hours of his swearing-in, he signed an executive order ending DEI initiatives across the federal government. Earlier this week, he signed an executive order eliminating diversity programs in the U.S. military.
Political scientist and author, Dr. Sekou Franklin, said, “President Trump is advancing what should be called a”whitening” policy. In doing this, he wants to push out non-white Federal employees. Part of this is casting non-white persons, women and LGBTQ+ persons as incompetent and blaming them as responsible for disasters and institutional breakdowns. His agenda is similar to Woodrow Wilson’s aggressive efforts to create a whites-only and segregated Federal workforce.”
When the wildfires in Los Angeles swept through thousands of homes and left billions of dollars in damage, some of Trump’s closest advisers blamed DEI. On social media, billionaires Elon Musk and Bill Ackman attacked the Los Angeles Fire Department for its diversity program.
Musk wrote, “DEI means people DIE.” However, he didn’t provide any proof that the fire and the department’s policy were connected. Right-wing commentator Matt Walsh claimed the LAFD “deliberately set out to exclude white men from becoming firefighters.”
Earlier this week, some federal employees at the Pentagon’s intelligence agency received a memo notifying them that the Trump Administration had “paused” Black History Month and other special events programs and related observances for Hispanic Heritage Month, Asian American and Pacific Islander Month, Native American Month, Holocaust Days of Remembrance and Pride Month.
“Civil rights groups and other advocates must challenge this approach,” Franklin urged. “We live in a global world. One third of the voting age populations are Blacks, Latinos, Asians and Native Americans.”
Thousands of Black-owned businesses know August holds a special place on the calendar for building brand awareness and increasing traffic. Since 2004, August has stood tall as Black-owned business month.
In Charleston, the owners of the boutique, Tiny Tassel, posted a discount on social media for customers, writing, “We’re celebrating in the best way possible by helping you save while supporting incredible Black-owned businesses across the Lowcountry!”
The African American Entrepreneurs Association used social media to remind members of its selection as the U.S. Small Business Association’s 2025 Community Partner of the Year. AAEA also repeated its commitment “to empowering entrepreneurs with the resources, education, connections, and advocacy they need to grow and thrive.”
Black-owned employer businesses, which have at least one employee, have moved the needle substantially the past six years to a milestone achievement.
According to the Brookings Institute, the number of Black-owned employer businesses increased 62% in 2023–a dramatic uptick compared to the overall rise of employer-businesses in the U.S., which was reported at 3.3%.
The COVID-19 pandemic dealt Black-owned businesses a crippling blow initially. But in the years since, new Black business creation has sparked a surge that topped pre-pandemic levels. Today, Black-owned businesses claim a little more than 3% of U.S. total businesses–up roughly from 2%.
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