White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt hit Democrat Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) with a crushing fact-check on his false claims regarding the recent Delta Airlines crash in Canada.
Leavitt strongly criticized Schumer after he attempted to link President Donald Trump to the plane crash in Toronto.
The accident, which occurred on Monday, saw a Delta Airlines passenger jet crash upon landing.
The shocking crash saw the plane flip upside down as it burst into flames.
While the incident was serious, all passengers and crew survived.
However, as investigators continued to determine the cause of the crash, Schumer quickly took to social media to politicize the incident.
Schumer tried suggesting that the Trump administration was to blame.
To those asking whether it matters that the plane’s destination was in Canada:
The flight took off from Minneapolis. The FAA was still responsible for inspecting the aviation equipment, and Trump just let go of FAA safety specialists. https://t.co/uCpjHtqLnd
— Chuck Schumer (@SenSchumer) February 18, 2025
Leavitt responded to Schumer’s shocking claims during an interview on Fox News’s “America Reports.”
The press secretary called Schumer’s statement “incredibly irresponsible.”
She continued by tearing his statement to shreds with facts.
Leavitt emphasized that the crash occurred in Canada’s airspace and was overseen by Canadian air traffic controllers.
“It’s incredibly irresponsible for Chuck Schumer to say such a thing when the investigation is still underway,” Leavitt said.
She then directly addressed the facts surrounding the crash and the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA).
Leavitt countered the false claims that the Trump administration had compromised air traffic safety.
“And as you rightfully pointed out, John, this crash unfortunately took place in Canadian airspace with Canadian air traffic controllers overseeing it,” she told co-anchor John Roberts.
Leavitt also pushed back against the claim that the Trump admin had weakened the FAA by firing air traffic controllers.
“And the facts about the FAA are that no air traffic controllers have been let go by Secretary Duffy or this new administration,” she stated.
“In fact, Secretary Duffy has put great emphasis on hiring the best and the brightest air traffic controllers who want to be part of the FAA.”
Leavitt continued by highlighting the Trump administration’s executive order focusing on merit-based hiring in government agencies, particularly in positions critical to public safety.
“And President Trump signed a very strong executive order to ensure that the FAA and all federal government agencies are focused on merit and skill-based hiring,” she said.
“We want the best and the brightest, the most competent individuals in positions especially of public safety at the FAA, the Department of Transportation, and all departments across this federal government, so we can best serve the American people.”
She then turned her attention to the Biden-Harris administration’s approach to aviation safety.
Leavitt blasted “woke” former Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg and Biden’s team for inaction.
“The Biden administration sat on their hands when it came to aviation safety for four years,” she concluded.
WATCH:
The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) and Canadian aviation authorities continue to investigate the cause of the Delta crash.
However, Schumer’s attempt to assign blame to Trump within 24 hours of the incident has drawn scrutiny.
Leavitt’s strong response follows her pattern of directly challenging media narratives and Democrat claims.
The fiery rebuke from Leavitt once again positions the press secretary as a forceful advocate for the Trump administration’s policies.
READ MORE – Karoline Leavitt: DOGE Bombshell Stunned Corporate Media Reporters Into ‘Sheer Silence’
