Jo Ellis Responds to False Claims
Jo Ellis, a transgender Black Hawk pilot in the Virginia Army National Guard, responded to false claims linking her to the deadly helicopter crash in Washington, DC, which killed 67 people. The misinformation spread quickly on social media, wrongly identifying her as the pilot of the UH-60 Black Hawk involved in the crash.
Ellis Denounces Misinformation
Ellis took to Facebook to condemn the conspiracy theories. She called them disrespectful to the victims and their families. She shared screenshots showing some of the false claims. One user on X (formerly Twitter) suggested that the pilot might be transgender. Another falsely accused Ellis of making “radicalized anti-Trump statements.” A verified X account with 13,600 followers spread the false claim. It gained 195,000 views before being removed. Despite the retractions, Ellis’s name remained a top trending topic on X. Over 19,400 discussions were fueled by far-right accounts pushing false stories.
Trump Amplifies the Controversy
President Donald Trump added to the controversy by wrongly linking the crash to diversity hiring policies. In a memo from the White House, Trump claimed that FAA hiring changes under the Obama administration prioritized diversity over qualifications. He argued that this weakened aviation safety. Trump did not provide any evidence for his claims. Instead, he relied on “common sense” to justify his view. His rhetoric echoed similar claims from other right-wing figures. Elon Musk blamed California wildfires on DEI. Rep. Dan Meuser wrongly tied the New Orleans New Year’s Day tragedy to diversity hiring.
Continued Spread of Disinformation
Despite fact-checks, the smear campaign against Ellis continues to spread in extremist circles. This situation highlights the ongoing issue of online disinformation and the weaponization of identity politics in conservative media.
