To dispel social media claims that she was piloting the helicopter that crashed into a commercial flight near Reagan National Airport on Wednesday night, killing 67 people, a transgender military pilot shared a “proof of life” video on Friday.
In the Facebook video, Jo Ellis, a Black Hawk pilot with the Virginia Army National Guard, stated, “I understand some people have associated me with the crash in D.C., and that is false.” “Tying this to a political agenda of any kind is offensive to the families. They’re not worthy of that. I’m not worthy of this. And I hope that everyone is aware that I am still alive and well. This should put a stop to all the speculations.
Ellis posted a screenshot of an X post on Facebook a few hours before the film was uploaded. In the post, someone had shared two pictures of Ellis and falsely claimed that she was the Black Hawk pilot who was involved in the fatal crash.
A request for more comment from Ellis was not immediately answered.
A representative for the Virginia National Guard verified that Ellis, a chief warrant officer 2, is a soldier in active duty and that the Black Hawk that struck the airplane on Wednesday night did not contain any members of the Virginia National Guard.
The rumors were covered by at least two news websites: The Express Tribune, based in Pakistan, and the Santa Monica Observer, situated in Santa Monica, California. The Observer reported that Ellis was on board the helicopter and questioned whether the crash “was intentional.” The Tribune had not corrected their article as of Friday afternoon, but the Observer has.
The false information was spread by Grok, an AI chatbot created by social media company X. Elon Musk is the chairman and chief technology officer of X, which he owns.
If X users searched for “Jo Ellis,” Grok’s summary said, “A military helicopter crash involving a transgender pilot named Jo Ellis has sparked significant discussion on X, particularly after the incident where the helicopter collided with an American Airlines flight, resulting in 66 fatalities,” as shown in screenshots taken by several X users.
Grok updated its summary of Ellis as of Friday afternoon. Additionally, the AI chatbot now accurately identifies two of the three Black Hawk pilots involved in the fatal incident when a user asks it who they were.
A request for comment about Grok AI’s allegations against Ellis was not immediately answered by X.
Ellis published an opinion piece this week detailing her experiences as a transgender service member and appearance. She stated on the Smerconish Podcast that she is anxious about President Donald Trump’s executive order that prohibits transgender individuals from joining or serving in the military.
She remarked, “I don’t really want to have to deal with all of the headlines and everything. I want to continue to serve with honor, keep my head down, and eventually retire after perhaps another 15 to 20 years, or as long my body allows me to operate that helicopter.
“Why would you want to, you know, kick out more soldiers who are willing to sacrifice their lives for this country at a time when it’s hard enough to meet recruiting numbers in the military?” she said.
In recent years, transgender persons have been unfairly blamed for more disasters and acts of violence, especially following mass shootings. A trans woman in Georgia reported experiencing harassment and threats in March 2022 after her picture was circulated online along with incorrect allegations that she was the gunman who killed two adults and 19 children at an elementary school in Uvalde, Texas. Police killed the shooter on the spot.
Following at least four shootings in the past two years in Nashville, Tennessee; Philadelphia; Madison, Wisconsin; and Des Moines, Iowa, similar unsubstantiated or incorrect assertions that the gunmen were transgender or LGBTQ and that their identities had a role in the murders proliferated.
Alongside a more antagonistic state and federal legislative environment for trans rights, these internet rumors have increased in response to tragedies and acts of violence. Dozens of states have enacted legislation in recent years that restricts access to restrooms and identity documents for trans individuals of all ages, as well as care linked to transition and school sports participation for trans adolescents.
Trump has also issued executive orders stating that the United States will only recognize male and female sexes and terminating diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives inside government agencies, in addition to his order prohibiting transgender individuals from serving in the military. Additionally, he issued an order asking agencies to forbid federal funding for schools that promote discriminatory equity ideology and gender ideology, as well as another that attempts to limit access to transition-related treatment for minors across the country.
Trump said during a press conference on Thursday that DEI programs might have contributed to the fatal collision over the Potomac, even though the inquiry was still in its early stages.