Donald Trump’s unfounded claim that diversity, equity and inclusion programs were to blame for last week’s midair collision between a Black Hawk military helicopter and an American Airlines jet drew some indirect pushback from the future spouse of one of the world’s richest men.
Lauren Sanchez, fiancée of Amazon founder Jeff Bezos, shared a video from New York University professor Scott Galloway blasting social media platforms and, by association, the president.
‘There’s something that sells more than sex, and that’s rage. So trying to get people to start arguing with each other,” lecturer Scott Galloway said in an Instagram reel titled “Marketing in 2025.” ‘They want you to fight, the algorithms love that. Because then it gets more comments, more Nissan ads, more shareholder value.”
And more votes. Donald Trump has expertly employed the strategy of division in politics, motivating his base over hot-button issues like trans rights and abortion.
Sánchez, 55, attended Trump’s inauguration with Bezos, who has been increasingly solicitous of the president — a frequent critic of how the billionaire businessman’s newspaper, The Washington Post, covers him. Amazon gifted $1 million in cash to Trump’s inaugural committee, in addition to broadcasting, gratis, the January 20 ceremony on the company’s streaming video platform.
Bezos was roundly criticized after it was revealed he blocked the Post from publishing its endorsement of Trump’s Democratic opponent, Kamala Harris.
Sanchez shared Galloway’s video to her 860,000 Instagram followers. The avid pilot is the founder of Black Ops Aviation, the first female-owned aerial film and production company.
Without evidence, Trump strongly implied that DEI policies at the Federal Aviation Administration led the agency to hire unqualified or incompetent air traffic controllers due to their race, ethnicity or gender.
“A group within the FAA determined the workforce was too white,” Trump fumed at a press conference the day after the tragedy. “They actually came out with a directive saying it’s too white.”
Asked how he reached the conclusion that DEI had something to do with the crash, the president responded, “Because I have common sense, OK? And, unfortunately, a lot of people don’t.”
During the briefing, Trump falsely claimed the initiative originated under President Joe Biden and his transportation secretary, Pete Buttigieg. But in 2019, during Trump’s first term, the FAA launched a pilot program to enroll up to 20 disabled persons in training for a career in air traffic operations.
MAGA loyalists have argued that the agency values diversity more than public safety. In January 2024, Fox News posted an article claiming the “FAA’s diversity push includes focus on hiring people with ‘severe intellectual’ and ‘psychiatric’ disabilities.” Conservative influencers like Elon Musk championed the story, which quoted noted industry experts like actor James Woods.
Snopes fact-checked the article and found the program had been in place since 2013 and went unchallenged during the entirety of the first Trump administration.
Sánchez, meanwhile, generally steers clear of politics on her social media sites. That’s good for business, as one reader reminded Bezos’ future wife.
“She should avoid getting in a verbal fight with Trump,” wrote the commenter. “It would not be good for Amazon.”
“She needs to take a seat,” another person wrote.
Others called Sánchez for hypocrisy because she attended Trump’s inauguration.
“Sorry, lady, but you were there supporting him at his inauguration with Bezos, who also kissed the ring. You’re not fooling anyone.”
