Trump exploits tragedy to push racist and partisan attacks

American hate continued in one of its worst forms as political partisanship and racism consumed briefings that featured President Donald Trump, Vice President J.D. Vance, Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy, and Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth. The briefings followed the devastating midair collision over Reagan National Airport that killed all 64 people aboard an American Airlines flight and at least three military personnel in a Black Hawk helicopter.Rather than focus on the victims or provide substantive details about the ongoing investigation, Trump and his officials used the tragedy to attack Democrats and falsely blame former Presidents Joe Biden and Barack Obama. Obama, who left office in 2017, was somehow dragged into the conversation, while Trump and his allies baselessly claimed the crash resulted from diversity, equity, and inclusion policies—initiatives that have been in place in the federal government since at least the 1960s after President Lyndon B. Johnson signed the Civil Rights Act.Even as mainstream media figures like Bakari Sellers urged against assigning blame so soon after the crash, Trump once again showed no bottom. Instead of acknowledging the gravity of the moment, he seized on the disaster to push his political agenda.“We must have only the highest standards for those who...