Donald Trump divides Internet as he suggests people with ‘dwarfism’ shouldn’t be air traffic controllers

WASHINGTON, DC: President Donald Trump delivered yet another controversial statement on Thursday, January 30, when he suggested people with dwarfism shouldn't be air traffic controllers.

In a packed White House briefing room, Trump started with a moment's silence for the victims of Wednesday, January 29, plane crash, and his prepared remarks ended with a call for prayers of comfort for those who have lost loved ones, according to Daily Mail.

Officials say bodies of 41 of the victims have been found, while 28 people having been "positively identified" so far. Both recovery efforts in the aftermath of the crash and the investigation into its causes are ongoing, per BBC.

Donald Trump suggests people with 'dwarfism' shouldn't be air traffic controllers

During the briefing, Donald Trump said, "We do not know what led to this crash, but we have some very strong opinions and ideas, and I think we'll probably state those opinions now."

He read from his prepared script, "We are one family, and today we are all heartbroken. We're all searching for answers."

The president then stated that an investigation would bring answers and shared his opinions. He mentioned he had leveled up the standards for hiring air traffic controllers during his first term, and claimed these were undone by former president Joe Biden, per the outlet.

Trump said air traffic controllers needed to be brilliant to ensure safety. 

"They have to be talented, naturally talented geniuses. They can't have regular people doing their job. They won't be able to do it," he said.

He mentioned what he said were guidelines for hiring put up on the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) website. 

 "The FAA website states they include hearing, vision, missing extremities, partial paralysis, complete paralysis, epilepsy, severe intellectual disability, psychiatric disability, and dwarfism ... all qualify for the position of a controller of airplanes pouring into our country, pouring into a little spot on the map ... a little runway," said Trump.

But he asserted that his administration would hire only the best people, unlike Pete Buttigieg, the former transportation secretary. He slammed him saying, "He's a disaster. He was a disaster as a mayor. He ran his city into the ground, and he's a disaster. Now he's just got a good line of bulls**t."

He further said that he would restore common sense to the government. He also demonstrated what that meant as he explored the causes of the crash.   

The president said, "It just seems to me from a couple of words that I like to use ... the words 'common sense' ... some really bad things happened, and some things happened that shouldn't have happened."

He added, "You had a helicopter that was at the exact same height as somebody going in essentially the opposite direction. You had a plane that was following a track, which is a track that every other plane followed."

He suggested that the presence of a preceding plance could have made the situation complicated, adding, "So you had a confluence of bad decisions."

Internet divided as Donald Trump suggests people with 'dwarfism' shouldn't be air traffic controllers

People on the internet stayed divided and had mixed reactions as Donald Trump suggested people with "dwarfism" should not be hired as air traffic controllers.

A user said, "The only criteria for hiring people in positions of high responsibility should be that the person is mentally able enough and physically able enough to perform the job with total competence."

Another said, "I absolutely agree about not employing unsuitable people just because of DEI. However here it would seem the reduced staffing may have played a part."

A person stated, "Ultimately, it should be up to the employer who decides on who to hire. Those who choose the best candidates are far more likely to end up with a successful business."

Another mentioned, "The FAA employs more than just air traffic controllers. It's a huge organization with jobs for people of all abilities."

A comment read, "Surely, it goes without saying that such a high stress job as this with millions of people and billions of dollars of equipment you want people with nerves of steel."

A user commented, "Trump can't stop himself. Even if he knows nothing about a situation, if someone asks for his opinion he'll make one up and express it in the most insensitive and offensive way possible."

This article contains remarks made on the Internet by individual people and organizations. MEAWW cannot confirm them independently and does not support claims or opinions being made online.