FACT CHECK, MAGAts: Transgender Pilot NOT One of the D.C. Black Hawk Pilots

Jo Ellis, a transgender pilot with the Virginia National Guard, released a statement on Facebook as “proof of life” in response to viral online attacks falsely identifying her as one of three pilots of a U.S. Army Black Hawk helicopter that collided with a passenger jet near Reagan National Airport.

“There were no Virginia National Guard personnel on board the Black Hawk that collided with the jetliner Wednesday evening,” a Virginia National Guard spokesperson told Reuters.

Ellis, a Chief Warrant Officer 2, is a currently serving soldier.

It will not shock you to learn that MAGA influencers have been spreading the lie that the pilot of the Blackhawk helicopter that collided with the American Airlines flight was a trans woman. Jo Ellis, the trans woman they have accused of being the pilot, had to film a video to prove it wasn’t her.

Yashar Ali 🐘 (@yasharali.bsky.social) 2025-01-31T15:56:19.493Z

This is wildJo Ellis is the transgender Black Hawk pilot who's been falsely accused of being involved in the DCA crash. She also is a former Michael Smerconish employee. Smerconish taped interview with her on Jan 29. The crash happened that night. The next day the rumors started.

Sam Stein (@samsteindc.bsky.social) 2025-01-31T14:26:34.828Z

From Smerconish.com:

Some people (okay, MAGAts) spreading the falsehood on social media (okay, X) directly referenced pResident Donald tRump’s series of EOs aimed at dismantling DEI programs.