Swalwell Draws Fire for Blaming Trump for Georgia Plane Crash
Byline: Associated Press
Date: May 20, 2025
Summary:
Representative Eric Swalwell (D-Calif.) has sparked online backlash after suggesting that President Donald Trump bears responsibility for a recent plane crash in Georgia.
Body:
Swalwell took to social media on Monday morning to assert that Trump has had "more planes crash" in his first month in office than any other U.S. president. He subsequently doubled down on this statement to Fox News Digital, declaring, "Trump is President. President Trump is in charge of air safety. All crashes are Trump’s fault."
The lawmaker’s initial comment was prompted by a small plane crash in Covington, Georgia, over the weekend, which resulted in the death of two individuals.
White House communications director Steven Cheung sharply criticized Swalwell’s claim, accusing him of being influenced by "Fang Fang" or suffering from "Trump Derangement Syndrome." He further denounced Swalwell as "a complete disgrace" and a "beclown[ed]…human being."
Data from the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) appears to contradict Swalwell’s assertion. According to the board’s Civil Aviation Research Online Lookup (CAROL) database, five fatal aviation incidents have occurred since Trump took office. However, the database records ten fatal incidents during the same period under President Biden’s term.
Social media users swiftly condemned Swalwell’s post, expressing outrage at his perceived attempt to connect the crash to Trump. Many accused him of suffering from "TDS" (Trump Derangement Syndrome) and urged him to reconsider his stance.
The Covington crash involved a single-engine airplane that took off from Covington Municipal Airport on Saturday at 11:00 p.m. Ground control lost communication with the plane 20 minutes later, and police officers subsequently located it crashed near the runway. The two occupants were pronounced dead at the scene.
The Covington Police Department confirmed that officers responded to the airport at 11:21 p.m. after receiving a call from the FAA regarding a missing aircraft. The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) is currently investigating the crash.
This incident follows a series of recent plane crashes, including a highly publicized collision between a helicopter and a commercial airliner over Washington, D.C. last month.
Additional Notes:
- Markdig Language:
[Headline]
# Swalwell Draws Fire for Blaming Trump for Georgia Plane Crash
**Byline:**
- Associated Press
**Date:**
- May 20, 2025
**Summary:**
- Representative Eric Swalwell (D-Calif.) has sparked online backlash after suggesting that President Donald Trump bears responsibility for a recent plane crash in Georgia.
**Body:**
- Swalwell took to social media on Monday morning to assert that Trump has had "more planes crash" in his first month in office than any other U.S. president. He subsequently doubled down on this statement to Fox News Digital, declaring, "Trump is President. President Trump is in charge of air safety. All crashes are Trump's fault."
- The lawmaker's initial comment was prompted by a small plane crash in Covington, Georgia, over the weekend, which resulted in the death of two individuals.
- White House communications director Steven Cheung sharply criticized Swalwell's claim, accusing him of being influenced by "Fang Fang" or suffering from "Trump Derangement Syndrome." He further denounced Swalwell as "a complete disgrace" and a "beclown[ed]...human being."
- Data from the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) appears to contradict Swalwell's assertion. According to the board's Civil Aviation Research Online Lookup (CAROL) database, five fatal aviation incidents have occurred since Trump took office. However, the database records ten fatal incidents during the same period under President Biden's term.
- Social media users swiftly condemned Swalwell's post, expressing outrage at his perceived attempt to connect the crash to Trump. Many accused him of suffering from "TDS" (Trump Derangement Syndrome) and urged him to reconsider his stance.
- The Covington crash involved a single-engine airplane that took off from Covington Municipal Airport on Saturday at 11:00 p.m. Ground control lost communication with the plane 20 minutes later, and police officers subsequently located it crashed near the runway. The two occupants were pronounced dead at the scene.
- The Covington Police Department confirmed that officers responded to the airport at 11:21 p.m. after receiving a call from the FAA regarding a missing aircraft. The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) is currently investigating the crash.
- This incident follows a series of recent plane crashes, including a highly publicized collision between a helicopter and a commercial airliner over Washington, D.C. last month.
**Additional Notes:**
- None
