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Tragedy befell Philadelphia as the city endured a major jet crash mere days after the DC crash. Six people aboard a private jet died, along with one person on the ground. And of course, the hope Donald Trump can empathize with another human being has once again fallen flat on its face.
A Learjet 55, en route to Tijuana, Mexico, took off from Northeast Philadelphia Airport at 6:30 PM local time, only to crash less than a minute later, about four miles from the airport. According to the BBC, the plane was a medical transportation jet carrying a Mexican girl, her mother, two medical professionals, the pilot, and the co-pilot. All six died on impact when the plane went down near Roosevelt Mall, killing one other person on the ground and injuring 19 others. Various eyewitnesses caught the crash on camera on their car dashcamera.
First responders and relevant authorities have already begun their efforts. After President Trump’s disastrous decision to blame the DC crash on DEI, this response marked a welcome and sober shift. The Mexican President was the most prominent to offer condolences, assuring that her Minister of Foreign Affairs would provide any necessary assistance. Philadelphia Mayor Cherelle Parker also urged residents near the crash not to touch any debris and instead call 911. The Philadelphia Eagles, a unifying symbol in the city and scheduled to perform at the upcoming Super Bowl, released a statement expressing heartbreak over the situation.
Under normal circumstances, when two nations are grieving, we would expect both presidents to come together to offer their citizens a path forward through a reassuring speech or a consolatory visit to the scene. But not President Trump — recent events have made it clear that he is only capable of rabble-rousing and blame-shifting. In apolitical tragedies, many people simply don’t expect him to rise to the occasion.
One X user noted that it’s only a matter of time before President Trump finds another minority to blame for the Philadelphia crash. It’s truly sad that the environment Trump fosters is one of lies, division, and prejudice. The longer his administration gives airtime to rhetoric that champions hate, the more he can offer his base a new form of hate to soothe their fears and demonize the most disenfranchised groups in society.
Sadly, nobody genuinely expects President Trump to make a public statement capable of consoling the nation. True to form, two hours after the Philadelphia crash, Trump was still on his Truth Social account promoting his memecoin. As one of the world’s most impactful leaders, he owes the public more than turning presidential press briefings into pro wrestling dialogue.
The less President Trump normalizes behavior beneath the dignity of his office, the better the chances of restoring public trust. Without that shift, some people increasingly feel abandoned, with few believing the president can truly look out for them.
It’s quite unfortunate that these two tragedies in DC and Philadelphia have occurred within such a short time of each other. We extend our condolences to everyone affected by the crashes and wish those injured a quick recovery. We also hope that the President views this week as a wake-up call — if he truly wants to succeed in this role, he must bring forward a skill set that includes empathy.