J.D. Vance Draws ‘Direct Connection’ Between Joe Biden’s DEI Policies and Troubled FAA [WATCH]

Vice President J.D. Vance discussed the administration’s response to the recent mid-air collision over Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport, linking staffing shortages in air traffic control to policies from the previous administration.

His comments will air in an exclusive interview on Sunday Morning Futures with Maria Bartiromo on Fox News Channel.

The collision, which occurred Wednesday night, involved an American Airlines flight and a U.S. Army Black Hawk helicopter, claiming the lives of 67 people.

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While speaking with Bartiromo, Vance pointed to workforce issues within the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) as a contributing factor to aviation safety concerns.

“There is a very direct connection between the policies of the last administration and short-staffed air traffic controllers. That has to stop,” Vance said in a preview of the interview.

His comments echo concerns raised by President Donald Trump, who in a Thursday press conference called for an overhaul of FAA hiring standards.

Trump criticized diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) policies, arguing that air traffic controllers should be selected based solely on ability rather than diversity initiatives.

“We have to have our smartest people. It doesn’t matter what they look like, how they speak, who they are. What matters is intellect, talent. The word ‘talent.’ They have to be talented geniuses. We can’t have regular people doing that job. They won’t be able to do it,” Trump stated.

Bartiromo asked Vance to expand on Trump’s remarks, prompting the vice president to emphasize that the administration is not placing blame on individual controllers but rather on the hiring policies that have shaped the FAA’s workforce.

“So the president’s been very clear about this. This is not saying that the person who was at the controls is a DEI hire. But let’s just say, first of all, we should investigate everything, but let’s just say the person at the controls didn’t have enough staffing around him or her because we were turning people away because of DEI reasons,” Vance explained.

Vance also addressed criticism from some media outlets regarding Trump’s statements, defending the administration’s position.

“And by the way, it’s so funny to me the media has picked up on this. Not you, of course, Maria, but others have picked up on this. The president made very clear that he wasn’t blaming anybody, but he was being very explicit about the fact that DEI policies have led our air traffic controllers to be short-staffed,” he said.

“That is a scandal. Thankfully, it’s a scandal that the president has stopped,” Vance added.

During the interview, Bartiromo also pressed Vance on his political future, asking whether he had ambitions to run for president after serving as vice president.

“You’re one of the youngest vice presidents that we’ve ever seen in the history of our country. Are you expecting to run for president in three and a half years?” Bartiromo asked.

Vance, who has held the vice presidency for just over two weeks, responded with a smile, saying, “Maria, you’re the first person who’s asked me that.”

His full response, along with further discussion on the administration’s plans to address FAA staffing concerns, will air on Sunday Morning Futures at 10 a.m. and 3 p.m. ET on Fox News Channel and at 11 a.m. ET on Fox Business Network.

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