On his second day in office, President Donald Trump ordered the immediate end to diversity, equity and inclusion programs in the Federal Aviation Administration in an executive order proclaiming that DEI “penalizes hard-working Americans who want to serve in the FAA but are unable to do so, as they lack a requisite disability or skin color.”
On top of other executive orders rescinding all forms of DEI in federal agencies, this order called Keeping Americans Safe in Aviation came after conservatives put a target on the agency early last year in response to an incident in which a panel blew off an Alaska Airlines plane at 16,000 feet. A federal oversight committee concluded that the agency did not perform “effective” oversight of the plane’s manufacturer, Boeing.
A White House fact sheet about Trump’s executive orders added that DEI had led to hiring of people with “‘severe intellectual’ disabilities, psychiatric issues, and complete paralysis.”
Tennessee Garvey, a pilot for a major airline for 22 years, said DEI “has been weaponized” by some like Elon Musk, the owner of SpaceX and a Trump ally who said last year that Boeing “prioritized DEI over safety” because it had a diversity program.
“That’s just false,” Garvey said. “There’s never been any proof that DEI causes any safety issues, because it doesn’t.”
Eric Hendrick, a former pilot who is Delta Airlines’ director of pilot outreach, agreed.
“Why don’t we go back in history and research every airplane crash, and tell me how many times a Black pilot was the cause?” he said. “There’s no sliding scale when it comes to pilots. Everyone has to meet the industry standards, and they are high. So to weaponize DEI by saying it could threaten public safety is just ridiculous.”
The Bureau of Labor Statistics projects about 18,000 pilot jobs opening up each year through 2033. Meanwhile, the FAA has had a shortage of air traffic controllers for years. Garvey said eliminating DEI may only exacerbate demand. American Airlines, United and Southwest did not respond to requests for comment on how the executive order could affect pilot numbers.
“It’s incredibly astonishing within this industry, where the goal is to promote aviation safety, that they are getting rid of programs that can help with safety,” Garvey said. “And if there’s something wrong with aviation in America, how can DEI be the problem? There are only 4% Black pilots operating within this space.”
Hendrick said the executive order should not stop airlines’ programs that promote fairness in hiring and opportunities that already existed.
“Trump’s order is symbolic of what they want to do but not symbolic of the aviation industry,” Hendrick said. He emphasized that the major airlines have had diversity programs for decades, and even with political pressure, “that’s not something that’s going to stop.”
That is encouraging for Tremaine Johnson, 23, a senior at Florida Memorial University, who wants to be a pilot. Working at an airport service center, Johnson said he “can count on my hand the number of Black pilots I see.” He earned his pilot’s license and is using $1,000 of his $1,700 paycheck every two weeks to pay for training to become a commercial pilot, he said.
When he learned that DEI programs at the FAA had been shut down, “it hit me hard. It was shocking. We all know Black people have to work extra hard to earn what we want. So I don’t understand why people think DEI is bad.”
Johnson’s goal was delayed when Covid hit in 2020. “Now this feels like another roadblock,” he said. “But I’m not going to let it stop me. I’m going to keep going. I just want to fly.”
Garvey, who is also the head of the 5,000-member Organization of Black Aerospace Professionals, said Trump’s executive order undermines years of work by his organization and programs that have provided mentorship, training and career development for Black pilots, air traffic controllers and other workers in aviation.
“Representation is so important,” he said. “DEI is essential. It’s morally imperative and it’s vital for the long-term success of the industry. … There’s nothing wrong with creating opportunities. There’s nothing wrong with making people feel valued. There’s nothing wrong with diversity. Diversity makes for a stronger environment. Diversity creates success. And there’s nothing wrong with making sure there are no barriers for one particular group of people.”
The National Hispanic Coalition of Federal Aviation Employees goes to schools in local communities, including Hispanic-serving institutions, to recruit and help students get jobs in the federal government.
“We are not seeking people based on their ethnic background, but the schools we go to are minority-serving institutions,” said Oscar Torres, national president of the group and an air traffic control specialist who has worked for the federal government for 17 years.
He added that as of his last check, a little over 10% of the 44,000 FAA employees were Latinos. “There is still work to do, again, in trying to find that talented pool of individuals,” Torres said. “Latinos are the largest minority in the country. I think when you have numbers not reflecting what the country looks like … that’s a guidance for us. ‘Hey, we’ve got some work to do.’”
FAA jobs are coveted, he said. There can be up to 25,000 applicants for each air traffic controller job, said Torres.
With his own deep interest in aviation, Garvey said he is emblematic of the would-be aviation workers OBAP has assisted for more than 50 years. And now, the Trump executive order has inspired the organization to redouble its efforts, he said.
“We’re going to continue to provide mentorship and guidance to ensure that underrepresented groups, especially Black pilots and traffic controllers, and all the aerospace professionals, will have the support that they need to thrive within this industry.”
This article was originally published on NBCNews.com