On 17 February 2025, investigators began looking into the cause of a Delta Airlines regional jet crash landing at Toronto Pearson International Airport. The plane, which it’s believed was impacted by strong weather conditions, flipped over on the runway—although all 80 passengers and crew members survived. This crash follows a deadly incident earlier in the month near Washington, D.C., when a commercial airline collided with a U.S. Army Black Hawk helicopter, resulting in 67 fatalities.

As these high-profile aviation accidents have unfolded, conspiracy theories have flooded social media, with some speculating everything from a Russian attack to signs of the world’s impending end. Others of course point to the potential involvement of President Donald Trump. Let’s break down these claims, shall we?

Idk I feel like all these plane crashes is part of an agenda … that’s my conspiracy theory

— sham🍫 (@shvmbvm) February 19, 2025

CBS News reported that on 29 January, at approximately 9 pm Eastern Time, American Eagle Flight No. 5342, operated by PSA Airlines, collided midair with a Sikorsky H-60 helicopter while nearing a runway at Reagan National Airport. The aircraft involved, a Bombardier CRJ700, had departed from Wichita, Kansas, carrying over 60 passengers and four crew members.

Tragically, the crash caused parts of the plane to scatter into the Potomac River, and everyone on board died. After the incident, President Donald Trump spoke to the public, blaming the Biden administration’s Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) policies. The conservatives argued that the Federal Aviation Administration’s (FAA) focus on hiring more diverse staff might have led to lower standards, possibly contributing to the crash. Trump’s comments sparked strong reactions, both supporting and criticising him.

President Trump took the moment of tragedy and grief after the deadly plane-chopper collision and baselessy blames DEI discussion about diversity hiring.
a fact-check just ahead. pic.twitter.com/7HYChI6Z4D

— Anderson Cooper 360° (@AC360) January 31, 2025

Trump blaming DEI for the crash after spending his first week in office letting a billionaire take a wrecking ball to the federal government INCLUDING the FAA. Insanity inducing.

— Krystal Ball (@krystalball) January 30, 2025

“I speak to you this morning in an hour of anguish for our nation,” Trump said during a press briefing. “We don’t know what led to this crash, but we have some very strong opinions and ideas. We’ll find out how this disaster occurred, and we’ll ensure that nothing like this ever happens again.”

Donald Trump’s statements quickly gained traction online, with many followers echoing his suspicions. Billionaire hedge fund manager Bill Ackman joined the fray, questioning how a military helicopter, known for its manoeuvrability, could collide with a regional aircraft “by accident” when equipped with advanced sensors and warning devices designed to prevent such accidents.

Ackman’s now-deleted post on X (formerly Twitter) added fuel to the conspiracy theories, with some suggesting that the crash was more likely the result of terrorism rather than a mishap.

Bill Ackman deletes post floating DC plane crash conspiracy theory https://t.co/6vgmQ9Czno pic.twitter.com/c42Gm5Oq47

— New York Post (@nypost) January 30, 2025

This whole helicopter plane crash thing, while tragic, has made it incredibly clear that 99% of conspiracy theories get started by incredibly stupid people who have never looked up how anything works in their lives

— carrie like the horror movie (@urulokid) January 31, 2025

Other social media users began speculating on the involvement of high-ranking officials, pointing to the helicopter’s gold top as a possible indicator that it was transporting a VIP. However, U.S. Department of Defense officials quickly debunked these claims, confirming that no senior officials were aboard the helicopter.

UPDATE: DC Aviation Disaster

The UH-60 Blackhawk Helicopter involved was a “Gold Top”, which primarily is used for High Level Executives

• It came out of Langley (CIA)
• It had a PAT25 call-sign, (P)riotity (A)ir Transport
• There have been zero press releases from the… pic.twitter.com/P02UwOplfX

— MJTruthUltra (@MJTruthUltra) January 31, 2025

As the investigation into the crash continued, official responses focused on the possibility that the collision was preventable. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy echoed Trump’s concerns, suggesting that the crash might have been avoided if proper safety protocols had been followed.

Planes should not be colliding with helicopters in 2025.

I hope this crash is fully investigated & absolutely never happens again.

I am beyond heartbroken for all who lost their lives and loved ones in this senseless and seemingly preventable tragedy.

We must do better.

— 〽️ichelle 🌹 (@Michellek4040) January 30, 2025

Meanwhile, the Trump administration started dismissing several hundred Federal Aviation Administration employees, disrupting staffing during a busy air travel weekend, just weeks after the deadly collision at Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport.

Some users took to X (formerly Twitter), sharing posts that accused foreign powers of sabotage. One user wrote: “Most of these crashes are sabotage by either the Kremlin Mafia or LikudMafia. They’re messing with the control software in flight,” implying that these entities were tampering with aviation systems to create chaos.

🤔 https://t.co/9xrn6k7iNd pic.twitter.com/zKWgHNczUx

— GEMMA (@Gem_Tones) February 18, 2025

Adding to the confusion, several online conspiracy theorists pointed to Mercury retrograde as a possible cause for the string of recent crashes, claiming that the celestial event was signalling the beginning of the end of the world. “Mercury is in retrograde, so, of course, everything’s falling apart!”

@vjosam1

Prayers going out to everyone who lost their loved ones ❤️‍🩹 #planecrashes #planecrashexplanation #astrology #predictions #birthchart

♬ Originalton - Vjosa - Astrology

You might be wondering, what the hell do Dior bags have to do with all this? And why is the hashtag #DiorBags suddenly so trendy? Well, let me explain.

The phrase “Dior bags” was coined by reality star Bethenny Frankel, who posted about her concerns over unidentified flying objects (UFOs) and drones spotted across the US. Frankel’s posts gained traction in the “DroneTok” community on TikTok, where users shared their own experiences with mysterious aerial phenomena.

@annaroisman

this theory is at the level👀👀 #bethennyfrankel #diorbag #diortok #diorbags #theory #sciencefiction #comedy #impression #walmart #birkin #nye

♬ original sound - Anna Roisman

The former star of The Real Housewives of New York claimed that the app’s algorithm stopped promoting her content as soon as the conversation around drones became more controversial, leading her to use the “Dior bags” code word as a way to alter potential censorship and avoid being shadowbanned by the platform.

@julia_c_theworld

Are we still talking about the Dior bags? Spotted from my apartment window in Brooklyn on 1/18/25 around 9 pm. What is going on?! It flew away shortly after this video. 💙 #diorbag #dronetiktok #fyp #drone

♬ original sound - julia_c_theworld

Frankel’s theory about drones, which she initially linked to potential surveillance or intelligence gathering, evolved into a wider conversation about strange aerial activity. The star speculated that the recent wave of aviation accidents, including the collision in Washington, D.C., could be linked to drone or other airborne activity, though no evidence has been presented to support this claim.

@bethennyfrankel

Replying to @Ashfromva #scary #therapy #smallbites #plane #diorbags #lordswork #forthepeople #tragic

♬ original sound - Bethenny Frankel

@bethennyfrankel

Crazy times….there are explanations but you won’t believe them #diorbags #planecrash #planes #puppets #inexplicable #coincidence #scary

♬ original sound - Bethenny Frankel

As you can imagine, when the Delta Airlines regional jet carrying 80 passengers crashed while attempting to land at Toronto Pearson International Airport, it only fueled more conspiracy theories. People began questioning what was really happening, with many suggesting that something felt off, and that maybe we’re not being fully informed about what is going on.

Something’s going on in the skies, and it’s getting harder to ignore. Four major plane crashes. 85 lives lost. 15 aviation incidents in just the first six weeks of 2025.

And now, a Delta flight just flipped on the runway in Toronto, adding to the chaos.

So what’s changed?… pic.twitter.com/UYNMhkjx85

— Brian Allen (@allenanalysis) February 17, 2025

There were of course also more discriminatory claims blaming DEI for the crash:

This is from a verified source

Toronto plane crash was a new hire female FO. She just got atp on January 9th. It was her first trip off of training.
The DC plane crash was a new female pilot with 500 hours.#DEl taking lives

— Steve Ross (@steverossusa) February 19, 2025

However, shortly after the incident, Toronto Pearson Airport confirmed that weather conditions, including light snow and high winds, were indeed factors at play during the crash.

So, after debunking all these conspiracy theories, we can safely say there’s no alien invasion, no Russian terrorist plot, no influence from Mercury retrograde, and definitely no Dior bags controlling our skies. What’s clear, however, is that these wild theories, such as the Trump administration’s claims about government policies, are putting the blame on vulnerable communities and fueling dangerous hate speech. Sadly, this won’t be the last time such baseless claims emerge—especially in a world where every major tragedy sparks social media chatter and far-fetched speculations.