Mehdi Hasan Deletes ‘Poorly Worded’ Post About Recent Plane Crashes After Backlash from ‘MAGA and Islamophobic Folks’

Mar. 15, 2025

Mehdi Hasan on August 02, 2023 in New York City.Photo:Ilya Savenok/Variety via Getty

Ilya Savenok/Variety via Getty

Former MSNBC hostMehdi Hasandeleted a social media post about recent aviation accidents after claiming to receive backlash from “MAGA and Islamophobic folks.“In the now-deleted post uploaded on Sunday, Feb. 16, Hasan, 45 wrote, “Make American Plane Crash Again.” His five-word response was in response to another post abouttwo people who were killed in a plane crash at Georgia’s Covington Airportin Atlanta on Saturday, Feb. 15.On Monday, Feb. 17, he uploaded a screenshot of his “Make American Plane Crash Again” post and explained what caused him to delete the original.“I deleted this sarcastic quote-tweet because MAGA and Islamophobic folks are clipping it out of context and trying to ridiculously suggest I’m inciting violence. I was obviously mocking the MAGA slogan ‘Make America… Again’ slogan and highlighting the shocking number of plane crashes under Trump and the FAA cuts,” he wrote.He continued: “But this tweet was in poor taste, poorly worded, and has allowed people in bad faith to call me a terrorist, with oneNew York Postreporter cc-ing the FBI.”“So I deleted it,” he added before concluding: “Meanwhile, the right wants to silence all journalists while crying ‘free speech!’ “Mehdi Hasan Monday, Feb. 17, 2025 X post.Mehdi Hasan/XHasan’s “free speech” comment seemingly referred to his Feb. 17 interaction withVice President J.D. Vanceon X. Their back and forth occurred after Hasan tagged Vance in a post on Monday morning asking about President Trump’sdecision to ban the Associated Press from the White Houseover its continued use of the term “Gulf of Mexico.“Hasan’s post read: “Hey  @JDVance, I know you’re busy lecturing the Europeans on free speech, but have you seen this?”Vance then repliedand called Hasan a “dummy.”Both social media posts followed theTrump administration’s decision to fire hundreds of Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) employeesover the holiday weekend, beginning Friday, Feb. 14,USA Todayreported.However, Hasan’s initial post was in response to the Feb. 15 plane crash that killed husband and wife James Hardee, 62, and Janet Hardee, 59, in their single-engine American aircraft.After Hasan’s Feb. 16 post, the next day, Delta Air Lines Flight 4819crashed and flipped upside downat Toronto’s Pearson International Airport. The plane was en route from Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport and crashed at approximately 2:45 p.m. local time, according to the Federal Aviation Administration. All 76 passengers and four crew members survived.Mehdi Hasan on November 11, 2023 in Los Angeles, California.Alberto E. Rodriguez/GettyNever miss a story — sign up forPEOPLE’s free daily newsletterto stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer​​, from celebrity news to compelling human interest stories.The Monday aviation incident is the latest of several making headlines in the past month. On Wednesday, Jan. 29, anAmerican Airlines flight 5342 collided mid-air with a U.S. Army Black Hawk helicopterin Washington, D.C., killing 64. Two days later, amedical jet crashedin Philadelphia, killing seven.That same weekend, aplane caught firebefore taking off in Houston. Then, on Wednesday, Feb. 5,two planes collided on the tarmacat the Seattle–Tacoma International Airport. Three days later, on Saturday, Feb. 8, aBering Air Caravan flightcrashed with 10 passengers, none of whom survived. Then, on Wednesday, Feb. 12. aNavy fighter jetcrashed nose-first into San Diego Harbor.

Former MSNBC hostMehdi Hasandeleted a social media post about recent aviation accidents after claiming to receive backlash from “MAGA and Islamophobic folks.”

In the now-deleted post uploaded on Sunday, Feb. 16, Hasan, 45 wrote, “Make American Plane Crash Again.” His five-word response was in response to another post abouttwo people who were killed in a plane crash at Georgia’s Covington Airportin Atlanta on Saturday, Feb. 15.

On Monday, Feb. 17, he uploaded a screenshot of his “Make American Plane Crash Again” post and explained what caused him to delete the original.

“I deleted this sarcastic quote-tweet because MAGA and Islamophobic folks are clipping it out of context and trying to ridiculously suggest I’m inciting violence. I was obviously mocking the MAGA slogan ‘Make America… Again’ slogan and highlighting the shocking number of plane crashes under Trump and the FAA cuts,” he wrote.

He continued: “But this tweet was in poor taste, poorly worded, and has allowed people in bad faith to call me a terrorist, with oneNew York Postreporter cc-ing the FBI.”

“So I deleted it,” he added before concluding: “Meanwhile, the right wants to silence all journalists while crying ‘free speech!’ "

Mehdi Hasan Monday, Feb. 17, 2025 X post.Mehdi Hasan/X

Mehdi Hasan/X

Hasan’s “free speech” comment seemingly referred to his Feb. 17 interaction withVice President J.D. Vanceon X. Their back and forth occurred after Hasan tagged Vance in a post on Monday morning asking about President Trump’sdecision to ban the Associated Press from the White Houseover its continued use of the term “Gulf of Mexico.”

Hasan’s post read: “Hey  @JDVance, I know you’re busy lecturing the Europeans on free speech, but have you seen this?”Vance then repliedand called Hasan a “dummy.”

Both social media posts followed theTrump administration’s decision to fire hundreds of Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) employeesover the holiday weekend, beginning Friday, Feb. 14,USA Todayreported.

However, Hasan’s initial post was in response to the Feb. 15 plane crash that killed husband and wife James Hardee, 62, and Janet Hardee, 59, in their single-engine American aircraft.

After Hasan’s Feb. 16 post, the next day, Delta Air Lines Flight 4819crashed and flipped upside downat Toronto’s Pearson International Airport. The plane was en route from Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport and crashed at approximately 2:45 p.m. local time, according to the Federal Aviation Administration. All 76 passengers and four crew members survived.

Mehdi Hasan on November 11, 2023 in Los Angeles, California.Alberto E. Rodriguez/Getty

Alberto E. Rodriguez/Getty

Never miss a story — sign up forPEOPLE’s free daily newsletterto stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer​​, from celebrity news to compelling human interest stories.

The Monday aviation incident is the latest of several making headlines in the past month. On Wednesday, Jan. 29, anAmerican Airlines flight 5342 collided mid-air with a U.S. Army Black Hawk helicopterin Washington, D.C., killing 64. Two days later, amedical jet crashedin Philadelphia, killing seven.

That same weekend, aplane caught firebefore taking off in Houston. Then, on Wednesday, Feb. 5,two planes collided on the tarmacat the Seattle–Tacoma International Airport. Three days later, on Saturday, Feb. 8, aBering Air Caravan flightcrashed with 10 passengers, none of whom survived. Then, on Wednesday, Feb. 12. aNavy fighter jetcrashed nose-first into San Diego Harbor.

source: people.com