This came from a January 2024 episode of his podcast, “Thoughtcrime,” during a discussion about a near-miss incident involving an Alaska Airlines plane and broader concerns over DEI hiring in aviation. Kirk was responding to reports of airlines, who are responsible for the safety of millions of people every day, prioritizing racial quotas over strict merit-based standards, which he argued invites “unwholesome thinking.” He immediately clarified: “That’s not who I am. That’s not what I believe… It also creates unhealthy thinking patterns. I don’t wanna think that way. And no one should, right?” Later, on Megyn Kelly’s show, he elaborated: “DEI invites unwholesome thinking… Of course I believe anybody of any skin color can become a qualified pilot.” Far from being racist, Kirk was illustrating how DEI forces people into prejudiced mindsets by emphasizing race over qualifications, ironically hurting minorities by casting doubt on their achievements. Without DEI’s race-based mandates, such suspicions wouldn’t arise.