Government data torpedoes Swalwell's viral claim about plane crashes on Trump's watch: 'Habitual liar'

Democratic Rep. Eric Swalwell's claim about more plane crashes under President Trump than any other president is contradicted by official data from the Department of Transportation.

Rep. Swalwell claimed the first month of Trump's second term had more plane crashes than any other president's. (AP/Getty)

There were 55 aviation accidents in the United States between Biden’s inauguration Jan. 21, 2021, and February 17, 2021, compared to 35 during the same period for Trump.

Worldwide there were 91 aviation accidents during that same time period for Biden and 50 during Trump’s first few weeks. 

"Eric Swalwell is a habitual liar and fraud, who continues to beclown himself every single day because he suffers from a debilitating and severe case of Trump Derangement Syndrome that has rotted his brain," White House communications director Steven Cheung told Fox News Digital. 

GOP GOVERNOR IN TOP ENERGY STATE OUTLINES HOW PRODUCTION 'HELD BACK' BY BIDEN WILL 'OPEN UP' UNDER TRUMP

President Donald Trump speaks with reporters in the Oval Office at the White House Feb. 11, 2025, in Washington. (AP Photo/Alex Brandon, File)

"There have been two U.S. commercial airliner crashes, where people died or were seriously injured in Trump’s first month," Swalwell said. "Please show me a president who had more in their first month."

Several Democrats have blamed Trump for high-profile plane crashes in recent weeks, including Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, who suggested Trump's cuts to the FAA were to blame in the Toronto crash, which resulted in serious injuries but no deaths. 

CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP

White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt pushed back at the time, pointing out that the "crash unfortunately took place in Canadian airspace with Canadian air-traffic controllers overseeing it."  

She then disputed the Democratic attack line about Trump firing FAA officials. 

"And the facts about the FAA are that no air-traffic controllers have been let go by Secretary Duffy or this new administration. In fact, Secretary Duffy has put great emphasis on hiring the best and the brightest air-traffic controllers who want to be part of the FAA," she argued.

Fox News Digital's Gabriel Hays contributed to this report

Andrew Mark Miller is a reporter at Fox News. Find him on Twitter @andymarkmiller and email tips to AndrewMark.Miller@Fox.com.

https://www.foxnews.com/politics/government-data-torpedoes-swalwells-viral-claim-plane-crashes-trumps-watch-habitual-liar