DeKalb GA News

Kelly Magsamen, the former chief of staff to Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin, has publicly criticized Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth over his handling of a recent helicopter collision incident. The collision involved a U.S. Army Black Hawk helicopter and a passenger jet near Reagan National Airport, resulting in the deaths of all crew members and passengers on both aircraft.

Fox News Pentagon reporter Jennifer Griffin shared Magsamen's comments, where she accused Hegseth of suggesting that diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) policies were to blame for the crash. Magsamen stated, "Secretary Hegseth has a lot to learn. When you speak as the Secretary of Defense, the entire force and their families are listening. They are looking to him for leadership and support, not suspicion. For him to imply that this pilot was not qualified because of her gender is absurd."

In response to these allegations, Hegseth issued a video statement describing the crew members as "fairly experienced" and did not attribute the crash to DEI policies. During appearances at the White House with President Donald Trump and in media interviews, Hegseth supported merit-based personnel standards but refrained from linking DEI policies directly to the incident.

The incident has sparked debate over military personnel policies and their impact on operational safety. While some have criticized Magsamen's comments as unfounded attacks on Hegseth's management style during a crisis, others see it as part of broader discussions about leadership accountability in defense operations.

Libs of TikTok criticized Magsamen for her remarks against Hegseth by pointing out her previous involvement in controversial situations during her tenure with Austin.