Is there evidence for Tommy Tuberville's claim that furries working in the airline industry are a flight-safety risk?
Sen. Tommy Tuberville says many airline pilots, flight attendants and air traffic controllers are furries and a flight-safety risk. Critics, including Doug Jones and a flight attendants' union, criticized the remarks; the Montgomery Advertiser and Forbes report he gave no source or data.
Claim in dispute
Many airline pilots, flight attendants and air traffic controllers are part of the furry community.
Case period:
Published by The Dispute Index editorial teamPublished Updated
Overview
The fixed reference point for classification in this case is Sen. Tommy Tuberville's claim that many airline pilots, flight attendants and air traffic controllers are part of the furry community and that this makes them a risk to flight safety. He made it in a Senate floor speech on September 22, 2026 (opens in a new tab), calling it terrifying, and restated it in changed form on September 24 in two X posts (opens in a new tab) (an "ALARMING number") and a Capitol interview (opens in a new tab) (some pilots, "not all"). Responses are recorded against that specific claim, not against the rest of his speech on transgender people, not against furry culture generally, and not against the April radio incident he cites.
Tuberville spoke for about 18 minutes beside a sign reading "Transgenderism Is a Mental Disease." Near the end he said the furry community "touts the fact that many" airline pilots, flight attendants and air traffic controllers "are part of the furry community," called that terrifying, and said a commercial pilot "could have a deranged fetish of dressing up like an animal." The Congressional Record (opens in a new tab) and his office's release of the speech (opens in a new tab) carry the passage. Lead Stories (opens in a new tab) confirmed on September 24 that the widely shared clip matches C-SPAN2's video; that check covers what he said, not whether it is accurate.
Tuberville has pointed to two things. The first is audio of two pilots meowing and barking on an air traffic control frequency at Reagan National Airport on April 12, reported by ABC News (opens in a new tab) and NBC4 Washington (opens in a new tab); the FAA said it investigates violations of its rule against non-essential conversation below 10,000 feet, and NBC4 reported it was unclear which airlines the pilots worked for. Neither report says the pilots were furries. The second is a one-hour "Aviation Furs Meet-Up" on the Furry Migration schedule (opens in a new tab) for Saturday, September 12, open to "pilots, mechanics, ATC, line operators, or those who have an interest in aviation," at a convention with 3,836 attendees (opens in a new tab). The listing does not say how many aviation workers attended. The Montgomery Advertiser (opens in a new tab) and Forbes (opens in a new tab) report that he provided no source or data for the claim, and Forbes reports that no major medical organization categorizes being a furry as a mental illness.
Tuberville faces former Sen. Doug Jones, the Democratic nominee, in the November 3 election for Alabama governor. As of September 25, we could not locate a public response from the FAA, the Transportation Department, the pilots' or air traffic controllers' unions, or the airline industry's trade group. The Association of Flight Attendants-CWA is the only aviation labor organization we found responding.
People in this case
Sara NelsonCommented
Sam SteinCommented
Doug JonesCommented
Jimmy KimmelCommented
Timeline
8 timeline entries on this page. Dates: April 12, 2026 to September 24, 2026
April 2026
2 events
Pilots heard meowing and barking on an air traffic control frequency at Reagan National Airport
Incident
ABC News reported that on April 12, 2026, two pilots were heard meowing and barking at each other over an air traffic control frequency at Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport, and that someone else on the frequency told them to be professional. NBC4 Washington reported that it was unclear which airlines the pilots worked for or which flights they were on. The reports do not identify the pilots or say they were furries.
[01]'Meow, meow': Pilots scolded after animal noises heard on air traffic control frequency
Source excerpt
The meowing occurred over an air traffic control frequency at Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport on April 12.
ABC News report of April 15, 2026 on audio in which two pilots are heard meowing and barking on an air traffic control frequency at Reagan National Airport. It quotes the FAA saying that regulations prohibit non-essential conversations below 10,000 feet. It does not say the pilots were furries.
'Meow, meow': Pilots scolded after animal noises heard on air traffic control frequency · ABC NewsArticle text on the April 12, 2026 DCA radio audio and the FAA statement[02]FAA investigating after pilots heard meowing, barking over radio at DCA
Source excerpt
It's still unclear which airlines the pilots work for, and which flights they were on.
NBC4 Washington report on the April 2026 radio audio from Reagan National Airport. It quotes an FAA statement that it is investigating and a former JFK air traffic controller who calls the exchange a momentary joke.
FAA investigating after pilots heard meowing, barking over radio at DCA · NBC4 WashingtonArticle of April 16, 2026, updated April 17FAA says it investigates pilots' non-essential radio conversations after the DCA audio
Reaction
In statements reported by NBC News and ABC News, the FAA said its regulations prohibit pilots from engaging in non-essential conversations below 10,000 feet, that conversations must relate to the safe operation of the aircraft, and that it investigates all situations where pilots may have violated a regulation. ABC News reported that the FAA said the audio came from a third-party source and that it would investigate once the audio was verified.
[03]Pilots appear to 'meow' and 'bark' at each other over radio at DCA
Source excerpt
Air traffic control had to remind two pilots to be professional after hearing them “meow” and “bark” over the radio at Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport.
NBC News video report on the April 2026 radio audio from Reagan National Airport, which includes an FAA statement. Senator Tuberville's September 24 X post attaches a short version of this report.
Pilots appear to 'meow' and 'bark' at each other over radio at DCA · NBC NewsNBC News video published April 15-16, 2026[01]'Meow, meow': Pilots scolded after animal noises heard on air traffic control frequency
Source excerpt
The meowing occurred over an air traffic control frequency at Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport on April 12.
ABC News report of April 15, 2026 on audio in which two pilots are heard meowing and barking on an air traffic control frequency at Reagan National Airport. It quotes the FAA saying that regulations prohibit non-essential conversations below 10,000 feet. It does not say the pilots were furries.
'Meow, meow': Pilots scolded after animal noises heard on air traffic control frequency · ABC NewsArticle text on the April 12, 2026 DCA radio audio and the FAA statement[02]FAA investigating after pilots heard meowing, barking over radio at DCA
Source excerpt
It's still unclear which airlines the pilots work for, and which flights they were on.
NBC4 Washington report on the April 2026 radio audio from Reagan National Airport. It quotes an FAA statement that it is investigating and a former JFK air traffic controller who calls the exchange a momentary joke.
FAA investigating after pilots heard meowing, barking over radio at DCA · NBC4 WashingtonArticle of April 16, 2026, updated April 17
150 days between recorded events
September 2026
6 events
Furry Migration schedule lists an Aviation Furs Meet-Up in Minneapolis
The Furry Migration furry convention, held September 11-13, 2026 in Minneapolis with a reported attendance of 3,836, listed a one-hour "Aviation Furs Meet-Up" on Saturday, September 12 at 4:30 p.m. The listing invites pilots, mechanics, air traffic control staff, line operators and others interested in aviation. It does not report how many people attended the session or what jobs they hold.
[04]Furry Migration 2026 online schedule: Aviation Furs Meet-Up
Source excerpt
Calling pilots, mechanics, ATC, line operators, or those who have an interest in aviation.
The convention's own schedule, which lists a one-hour "Aviation Furs Meet-Up" (categories "Meet And Greet" and "Workshop") on Saturday, September 12, 2026. The listing invites pilots, mechanics, air traffic control staff, line operators and others interested in aviation. It gives no attendance figure for the session or a count of aviation workers.
Furry Migration 2026 online schedule: Aviation Furs Meet-Up · Furry MigrationSaturday, September 12 listing "Aviation Furs Meet-Up," Greenway B, 4:30 PM, one hour[05]Furry Migration attendance statistics
Source excerpt
September 11 -13, 2026
The convention's statistics page, which lists the 2026 event dates (September 11-13, 2026) and a total attendance of 3,836.
Furry Migration attendance statistics · Furry Migration2026 row: September 11-13, 2026; attendance 3836Tuberville announces on X a floor speech on "a disturbing trend of online 'furry' culture"
Sen. Tommy Tuberville posted on X that he was heading to the Senate floor to talk about how "the Democrat-Socialists have intentionally caused mass gender-confusion among our young people, leading to violence and a disturbing trend of online 'furry' culture".
[06]Sen. Tommy Tuberville on X: "I'm heading to the Senate floor to talk about..." (September 22, 2026)
Source excerpt
I’m heading to the Senate floor to talk about how the Democrat-Socialists have intentionally caused mass gender-confusion among our young people, leading to violence and a disturbing trend of online ‘furry’ culture.
Senator Tuberville's post on his official account announcing the floor speech, hours before he delivered it. The post does not mention airline workers.
Sen. Tommy Tuberville on X: "I'm heading to the Senate floor to talk about..." (September 22, 2026) · Tommy TubervilleFull X post, published Sept. 22, 2026, 20:28 UTCTuberville says on the Senate floor that many airline pilots, flight attendants and air traffic controllers are part of the furry community
Claim
In a Senate floor speech of about 18 minutes on transgender people and violence, Tuberville said the furry community "touts the fact that many" airline pilots, flight attendants and air traffic controllers "are part of the furry community." He called that terrifying and said a commercial pilot "could have a deranged fetish of dressing up like an animal". He then said it is in the country's best interest to bring back mental institutions.
[07]Senator Tuberville Speaks on the Senate Floor to Discuss the Transgender Mental Disease
Source excerpt
that many airline pilots, flight attendants, and air traffic controllers are part of the furry community. Lord, help us. It's terrifying when you think about this. When you walk onto a commercial flight, it's possible that the pilot flying your plane could have a deranged fetish of dressing up like an animal. You can't make this up.
Senator Tommy Tuberville's own upload of his Senate floor speech of September 22, 2026, delivered beside a sign reading "Transgenderism Is a Mental Disease." The speech is mostly about transgender people and violence; the passage about airline workers and the furry community comes near the end, after he says there is "significant overlap" between gender-confused people and the furry community. The same remarks appear in C-SPAN2's floor coverage.
Senator Tuberville Speaks on the Senate Floor to Discuss the Transgender Mental Disease · Tommy TubervilleAirline-workers passage at about 14:18-15:17 of the 18:20 video[08]Congressional Record, Senate, September 22, 2026: Transgender Violence (Mr. Tuberville)
Source excerpt
that many airline pilots, flight attendants, and air traffic controllers are part of the furry community. Lord help us. It is terrifying when you think about this. When you walk onto a commercial flight, it is possible that the pilot flying your plane could have a deranged fetish of dressing up like an animal.
The official printed record of Senator Tuberville's September 22, 2026 floor remarks. The printed text differs slightly from the spoken words (for example, "this mentally unwell furry community").
Congressional Record, Senate, September 22, 2026: Transgender Violence (Mr. Tuberville) · United States CongressRemarks of Mr. Tuberville under the heading "Transgender Violence," pp. S4846-S4848; airline-workers passage on p. S4847[09]Tuberville Warns of Disturbing Trend of Violence Within So-Called 'Transgender' Movement
Source excerpt
many—listen to this—that many airline pilots, flight attendants, and air traffic controllers are part of the furry community. Lord help us. It’s terrifying when you think about this. When you walk on to a commercial flight, it’s possible that the pilot flying your plane could have a deranged fetish of dressing up like an animal. You can’t make this up.
Press release from Senator Tuberville's office, dated September 22, 2026, publishing excerpts of his floor speech with editorial bracketed edits. It links the video of the speech on YouTube and Rumble. Its wording differs slightly from the spoken remarks and from the Congressional Record.
Tuberville Warns of Disturbing Trend of Violence Within So-Called 'Transgender' Movement · Tommy TubervilleSpeech excerpts, paragraph beginning "It is clear that this gender confusion is a mental illness"A clip of the passage spreads on X and is picked up by news outlets
Reaction
The FactPost account posted a 30-second clip of the passage from C-SPAN2's coverage of the speech on X at 17:30 UTC on September 23. Bill Kristol quoted the clip, and MS NOW's MaddowBlog and AL.com reported on the remarks later that day.
[10]FactPost on X: clip of Tuberville on airline workers and the furry community
Source excerpt
Tommy Tuberville: Many airline pilots, flight attendants, and air traffic controllers are part of the furry community. It's terrifying.
Clip of the floor remarks from C-SPAN2 coverage posted by the FactPost account the day after the speech. Lead Stories, Bill Kristol, The Bulwark and the AFA-CWA union's Bluesky account all cite or quote it or a similar clip.
FactPost on X: clip of Tuberville on airline workers and the furry communityX post with 30-second clip, published Sept. 23, 2026, 17:30 UTC[11]Bill Kristol on X: "Fact check: Whatever Tuberville thinks he's saying here, it's not terrifying."
Source excerpt
Fact check: Whatever Tuberville thinks he’s saying here, it’s not terrifying.
Post by Bill Kristol quoting FactPost's clip of Senator Tuberville saying that many airline pilots, flight attendants and air traffic controllers are part of the furry community and that it is terrifying.
Bill Kristol on X: "Fact check: Whatever Tuberville thinks he's saying here, it's not terrifying." · William KristolFull X post quoting FactPost's clip, published Sept. 23, 2026, 18:22 UTC[12]Alabama's Tuberville worries aloud about airline personnel joining 'the furry community'
Source excerpt
Well, you can make this up, and by all appearances, Tuberville did make this up.
MaddowBlog post by Steve Benen, producer for The Rachel Maddow Show and editor of MaddowBlog on MS NOW, on Senator Tuberville's floor remarks. It quotes the passage from Tuberville's office transcript and notes he is the Republican nominee for Alabama governor.
Alabama's Tuberville worries aloud about airline personnel joining 'the furry community' · MS NOWMaddowBlog post, Sept. 23, 2026, 4:05 p.m. EDT[13]Doug Jones: Tuberville's furry pilot Senate floor speech is 'the strangest I have ever heard'
Source excerpt
“My only comment is that was the strangest speech on the floor of the United States Senate that I have ever heard,” Jones said when asked to respond to what he said were “bizarre” comments Tuberville had made on the Senate floor.
AL.com's report of Democratic gubernatorial nominee Doug Jones's response, at a Wednesday news conference, to Senator Tuberville's September 22 floor speech, which included the remarks about airline workers and the furry community. Jones and Tuberville face each other in the November 3 general election.
Doug Jones: Tuberville's furry pilot Senate floor speech is 'the strangest I have ever heard' · AL.comJones's remarks at a news conference on Wednesday, Sept. 23, 2026, before a rally with Jason IsbellTuberville repeats the claim on X, citing DCA radio audio and a furry convention listing
Claim
In two posts on X, Tuberville wrote that there is "an ALARMING number of these DERANGED people working in our airline industry," attached NBC News video of pilots meowing and barking on a radio frequency at Reagan National Airport in April, and linked the Furry Migration schedule listing an "Aviation Furs Meet-up," asking "would you be comfortable with a MENTALLY ILL FURRY being your pilot". Forbes reported that he provided no backing or data for his claims.
[14]Sen. Tommy Tuberville on X: "I know the deranged Democrats don't like the fact that I called out the insane FURRY CULTURE this week"
Source excerpt
But the truth is, there is an ALARMING number of these DERANGED people working in our airline industry.
Senator Tuberville's post on his official account two days after his floor speech. It attaches a short video of an NBC News report on radio audio from Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport in which two pilots are heard meowing and barking. The post names no source for the "alarming number" it describes.
Sen. Tommy Tuberville on X: "I know the deranged Democrats don't like the fact that I called out the insane FURRY CULTURE this week" · Tommy TubervilleFull X post with 25-second video, published Sept. 24, 2026, 15:15 UTC[15]Sen. Tommy Tuberville on X: "Aviation Furs Meet-up" at the Furry Migration convention
Source excerpt
Just a few weeks ago at the “Furry Migration” convention in Minneapolis, there was an “Aviation Furs Meet-up.”
Senator Tuberville's second post of September 24, 2026, linking the online schedule of the Furry Migration convention held in Minneapolis on September 11-13, 2026. X displays a reader-added context note on the post.
Sen. Tommy Tuberville on X: "Aviation Furs Meet-up" at the Furry Migration convention · Tommy TubervilleFull X post with link to the Furry Migration schedule, published Sept. 24, 2026, 16:25 UTC[03]Pilots appear to 'meow' and 'bark' at each other over radio at DCA
Source excerpt
Air traffic control had to remind two pilots to be professional after hearing them “meow” and “bark” over the radio at Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport.
NBC News video report on the April 2026 radio audio from Reagan National Airport, which includes an FAA statement. Senator Tuberville's September 24 X post attaches a short version of this report.
Pilots appear to 'meow' and 'bark' at each other over radio at DCA · NBC NewsNBC News video published April 15-16, 2026[16]Sen. Tommy Tuberville Says 'Deranged' Furry Culture Is Flight Safety Risk
Source excerpt
The senator did not provide any backing or data for his claims, instead sharing an NBC News clip of a radio recording from Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport in which two pilots can be heard meowing and barking at each other.
Forbes report on Senator Tuberville's two September 24, 2026 X posts. It notes that no major medical organization categorizes being a furry as a mental illness.
Sen. Tommy Tuberville Says 'Deranged' Furry Culture Is Flight Safety Risk · ForbesArticle of Sept. 24, 2026, 4:54 p.m. EDTLead Stories confirms C-SPAN2 video shows Tuberville making the remarks
Source release
Lead Stories reported that the clip circulating on X matches C-SPAN2's video of the September 22 floor speech, beginning at 1:58:00 in the C-SPAN2 recording, and quoted the passage. The fact check addresses whether Tuberville said it; it does not assess the claim about airline workers.
[17]Fact Check: Sen. Tommy Tuberville DID Say Many Pilots, Flight Attendants And Air Traffic Controllers Are Part Of The Furry Community
Source excerpt
Sen. Tuberville did talk about airline pilots, flight attendants and air traffic controllers being a part of the "furry community" during his remarks on the Senate floor on Sept. 22, 2026.
Lead Stories' fact check of a viral clip. It confirms that the clip matches C-SPAN2's video of Tuberville's September 22 floor remarks and quotes the passage. It rates the authenticity of the clip and the quotation; it does not evaluate whether airline workers who are furries exist in any number or pose a safety risk.
Fact Check: Sen. Tommy Tuberville DID Say Many Pilots, Flight Attendants And Air Traffic Controllers Are Part Of The Furry Community · Lead StoriesFact check published Sept. 24, 2026; C-SPAN2 timestamp 1:58:00
Claims
Claims separate what was said from what is contested. Follow each source for the original wording and context.
What's disputed
Disputed claim
Many airline pilots, flight attendants and air traffic controllers are part of the furry community.
Sources (4)
- Senator Tuberville Speaks on the Senate Floor to Discuss the Transgender Mental Disease · Tommy TubervilleAirline-workers passage at about 14:18-15:17 of the 18:20 video
- Congressional Record, Senate, September 22, 2026: Transgender Violence (Mr. Tuberville) · United States CongressRemarks of Mr. Tuberville under the heading "Transgender Violence," pp. S4846-S4848; airline-workers passage on p. S4847
- Tuberville Warns of Disturbing Trend of Violence Within So-Called 'Transgender' Movement · Tommy TubervilleSpeech excerpts, paragraph beginning "It is clear that this gender confusion is a mental illness"
- Sen. Tommy Tuberville on X: "I know the deranged Democrats don't like the fact that I called out the insane FURRY CULTURE this week" · Tommy TubervilleFull X post with 25-second video, published Sept. 24, 2026, 15:15 UTC
Disputed claim
Airline pilots, flight attendants and air traffic controllers who take part in furry culture are a flight-safety risk.
Sources (3)
- Senator Tuberville Speaks on the Senate Floor to Discuss the Transgender Mental Disease · Tommy TubervilleAirline-workers passage at about 14:18-15:17 of the 18:20 video
- Sen. Tommy Tuberville on X: "Aviation Furs Meet-up" at the Furry Migration convention · Tommy TubervilleFull X post with link to the Furry Migration schedule, published Sept. 24, 2026, 16:25 UTC
- TMZ DC's Jacob Wasserman on X: video of Sen. Tuberville answering questions at the Capitol · TMZ2 min 10 s video; Tuberville's answers begin at about 0:17, published Sept. 24, 2026, 21:08 UTC
Disputed claim
Furry flight attendants help keep the skies safe.
Association of Flight Attendants-CWA
Sources (1)
- AFA-CWA and Sara Nelson on Instagram: "Thanks for the shoutout, Senator Tuberville" · Association of Flight Attendants-CWAInstagram post by @afacwa and @flyingwithsara, two-slide carousel and caption, Sept. 24, 2026, 21:19 UTC
Response record
Responses
Latest recorded positions: 12. Dates: September 23, 2026 to September 24, 2026
Choose one response filter, or select All responses to see the full record.
8 responses on this page
Sara Nelson"Tuberville wants to focus on anything except the real problems facing the American public, starting with the skyrocketing cost of fuel. He could end the Iran War and protect the public from predatory AI, but instead he’s calling Care Bear “violent” to try to distract people from the real problems he helped create."
Read the original post (opens in a new tab)AFA-CWA and Sara Nelson on Instagram: "Thanks for the shoutout, Senator Tuberville" · Association of Flight Attendants-CWAInstagram post by @afacwa and @flyingwithsara, two-slide carousel and caption, Sept. 24, 2026, 21:19 UTCRead the original post (opens in a new tab)AFA-CWA on Bluesky quoting Sara Nelson on Tuberville's furry remarks · Association of Flight Attendants-CWABluesky post with two images, quoting FactPost's clip of the floor remarks, Sept. 24, 2026, 21:30 UTCCondemnedCase context: Is there evidence for Tommy Tuberville's claim that furries working in the airline industry are a flight-safety risk?
Read more
AFA President Sara Nelson, quoted in the flight attendant union's post, said that Sen. Tommy Tuberville "wants to focus on anything except the real problems facing the American public" and is trying to "distract people from the real problems he helped create".
Role at the time: International President of the Association of Flight Attendants-CWA, quoted in the union's post
Before the statement
The union's post opens by thanking Tuberville for the shoutout and says he called it terrifying that some pilots, flight attendants and air traffic controllers are furries. It then introduces Nelson's quotation.
After the statement
The union published the quotation as a graphic on Instagram, jointly with Nelson's account, and on Bluesky.
AFA-CWA and Sara Nelson on Instagram: "Thanks for the shoutout, Senator Tuberville" · Association of Flight Attendants-CWAInstagram post by @afacwa and @flyingwithsara, two-slide carousel and caption, Sept. 24, 2026, 21:19 UTCAFA-CWA on Bluesky quoting Sara Nelson on Tuberville's furry remarks · Association of Flight Attendants-CWABluesky post with two images, quoting FactPost's clip of the floor remarks, Sept. 24, 2026, 21:30 UTCWhy this label?
The reference point is Tuberville's claim that many airline pilots, flight attendants and air traffic controllers are furries and a flight-safety risk. Nelson criticizes him for raising it to "distract people" from fuel costs and other issues, which criticizes his making the claim; she does not address its accuracy.
This label describes the statement's response within the context above.
Association of Flight Attendants-CWADirectly involved "Thanks for the shoutout, Senator Tuberville. We’re proud to be part of the furry community … OUR FURRY FLIGHT ATTENDANTS HELP KEEP OUR SKIES SAFE TOO."
Read the original post (opens in a new tab)AFA-CWA and Sara Nelson on Instagram: "Thanks for the shoutout, Senator Tuberville" · Association of Flight Attendants-CWAInstagram post by @afacwa and @flyingwithsara, two-slide carousel and caption, Sept. 24, 2026, 21:19 UTCRead the original post (opens in a new tab)AFA-CWA on Bluesky quoting Sara Nelson on Tuberville's furry remarks · Association of Flight Attendants-CWABluesky post with two images, quoting FactPost's clip of the floor remarks, Sept. 24, 2026, 21:30 UTCCondemnedResponding to: Furry flight attendants help keep the skies safe.
Read more
The Association of Flight Attendants-CWA replied to Sen. Tommy Tuberville on Instagram, and on Bluesky with the same images, writing "Thanks for the shoutout, Senator Tuberville" and that it is "proud to be part of the furry community", alongside a graphic reading "OUR FURRY FLIGHT ATTENDANTS HELP KEEP OUR SKIES SAFE TOO".
Role at the time: Flight attendant union, posting on its official Instagram and Bluesky accounts
Before the statement
The caption says Tuberville took to the Senate floor and said that some pilots, flight attendants and air traffic controllers are furries, and that he called it terrifying.
After the statement
The caption goes on to quote AFA President Sara Nelson criticizing Tuberville for focusing on furries rather than fuel costs, the Iran war and artificial intelligence. The post is shared with Nelson's Instagram account.
AFA-CWA and Sara Nelson on Instagram: "Thanks for the shoutout, Senator Tuberville" · Association of Flight Attendants-CWAInstagram post by @afacwa and @flyingwithsara, two-slide carousel and caption, Sept. 24, 2026, 21:19 UTCAFA-CWA on Bluesky quoting Sara Nelson on Tuberville's furry remarks · Association of Flight Attendants-CWABluesky post with two images, quoting FactPost's clip of the floor remarks, Sept. 24, 2026, 21:30 UTCWhy this label?
The reference point is Tuberville's claim that many airline pilots, flight attendants and air traffic controllers are furries and a flight-safety risk. The union answers that it is proud to be part of the furry community and that furry flight attendants help keep skies safe, which rejects the safety-risk claim rather than merely disputing its wording.
This label describes the statement's response within the context above.
Martin Heinrich "I spend way too much time on commercial flights. Still haven’t seen a furry in the cockpit. $6.50 diesel on the other hand… Vote accordingly people!"
Read the original post (opens in a new tab)Sen. Martin Heinrich on X: "I spend way too much time on commercial flights" · Martin HeinrichFull X post with 29-second video, published Sept. 24, 2026, 15:00 UTCCondemnedResponding to: Many airline pilots, flight attendants and air traffic controllers are part of the furry community.
Read more
Sen. Martin Heinrich (D-N.M.) posted a clip of Sen. Tommy Tuberville's floor remarks with the words "Still haven't seen a furry in the cockpit. $6.50 diesel on the other hand..." and "Vote accordingly people!"
Role at the time: U.S. senator (D-N.M.), posting on the X account linked from his campaign website
Before the statement
Heinrich's post attaches the clip of Tuberville's floor remarks that many airline pilots, flight attendants and air traffic controllers are part of the furry community.
After the statement
Heinrich posted about 15 minutes before Tuberville's X post about an alarming number of furries in the airline industry.
Sen. Martin Heinrich on X: "I spend way too much time on commercial flights" · Martin HeinrichFull X post with 29-second video, published Sept. 24, 2026, 15:00 UTCWhy this label?
The reference point is Tuberville's claim that many airline pilots, flight attendants and air traffic controllers are furries and a flight-safety risk. Heinrich says he has not seen a furry in the cockpit, contrasts it with the price of diesel and urges a vote, which rejects the claim and criticizes Tuberville's focus rather than only disputing wording.
This label describes the statement's response within the context above.
Montgomery Advertiser "Tuberville makes unfounded claims that airplane staffs are furries … Tuberville did not identify a source for his claim about airline pilots, flight attendants or air traffic controllers. … He presented no evidence showing that a significant share of commercial aviation workers are furries or that participation in the furry community poses a safety risk."
Read the original text (opens in a new tab)Tuberville makes unfounded claims that airplane staffs are furries · Montgomery AdvertiserExplainer section "Is there evidence that many airline workers are furries?"CondemnedCase context: Is there evidence for Tommy Tuberville's claim that furries working in the airline industry are a flight-safety risk?
Read more
In an explainer headlined "Tuberville makes unfounded claims that airplane staffs are furries", the Montgomery Advertiser wrote that Sen. Tommy Tuberville "did not identify a source for his claim" and "presented no evidence showing that a significant share of commercial aviation workers are furries or that participation in the furry community poses a safety risk".
Role at the time: Newspaper (USA TODAY Network), explainer by reporter Jennifer Lindahl
Before the statement
The explainer follows Tuberville's September 22 Senate speech, in which he said many airline pilots, flight attendants and air traffic controllers are furries, as part of a broader speech about transgender people and violence.
After the statement
It also describes what furries are, citing FurScience, and says that being a furry does not by itself indicate a person's sexual interests, gender identity or mental health.
Tuberville makes unfounded claims that airplane staffs are furries · Montgomery AdvertiserExplainer section "Is there evidence that many airline workers are furries?"Why this label?
The reference point is Tuberville's claim that many airline pilots, flight attendants and air traffic controllers are furries and a flight-safety risk. The outlet's headline calls the claims "unfounded", and the text says he offered no source or evidence for either the prevalence or the safety risk, which rejects the claim as unsupported rather than only disputing its wording.
This label describes the statement's response within the context above.
MS NOW "Well, you can make this up, and by all appearances, Tuberville did make this up."
Read the original text (opens in a new tab)Alabama's Tuberville worries aloud about airline personnel joining 'the furry community' · MS NOWMaddowBlog post, Sept. 23, 2026, 4:05 p.m. EDTCondemnedResponding to: Many airline pilots, flight attendants and air traffic controllers are part of the furry community.
Read more
In a MaddowBlog post quoting the passage from Sen. Tommy Tuberville's floor speech, MS NOW's Steve Benen wrote "Well, you can make this up, and by all appearances, Tuberville did make this up".
Role at the time: Cable news network, MaddowBlog post by producer and editor Steve Benen
Before the statement
The post quotes the passage about airline personnel from the transcript published by Tuberville's office.
After the statement
It notes that Tuberville is the Republican nominee for Alabama governor and says his closing message is about bringing back mental institutions and fearing furries who fly airplanes.
Alabama's Tuberville worries aloud about airline personnel joining 'the furry community' · MS NOWMaddowBlog post, Sept. 23, 2026, 4:05 p.m. EDTWhy this label?
The reference point is Tuberville's claim that many airline pilots, flight attendants and air traffic controllers are furries and a flight-safety risk. The post says Tuberville "did make this up", which rejects the claim as invented rather than only disputing its wording.
This label describes the statement's response within the context above.
Sam Stein"In all seriousness, this guy's running for governor of Alabama. He's trying to scapegoat people. … There's not a furry epidemic in our airplanes. Folks, get a grip."
Read the original post (opens in a new tab)The Bulwark on X: Sam Stein reacts to Tuberville's furry remarks · The Bulwark2 min 8 s video; Stein's response at about 1:13-1:32, published Sept. 24, 2026, 00:16 UTCCondemnedResponding to: Many airline pilots, flight attendants and air traffic controllers are part of the furry community.
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Bulwark managing editor Sam Stein, responding to Sen. Tommy Tuberville's floor remarks, said that Tuberville is running for governor of Alabama and is "trying to scapegoat people", and that "There's not a furry epidemic in our airplanes".
Role at the time: Managing editor, The Bulwark, in a video commentary
Before the statement
Stein introduced the video as a mock emergency broadcast about Tuberville's Senate floor remarks and played the passage in which Tuberville says many airline pilots, flight attendants and air traffic controllers are part of the furry community.
After the statement
Stein said The Bulwark was covering the remarks because members of Congress talk about such things to distract voters, and asked viewers to subscribe.
The Bulwark on X: Sam Stein reacts to Tuberville's furry remarks · The Bulwark2 min 8 s video; Stein's response at about 1:13-1:32, published Sept. 24, 2026, 00:16 UTCWhy this label?
The reference point is Tuberville's claim that many airline pilots, flight attendants and air traffic controllers are furries and a flight-safety risk. Stein expressly rejects it, denying an "epidemic" and telling viewers to "get a grip". No milder label fits because he rejects the claim outright.
This label describes the statement's response within the context above.
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Doug Jones"My only comment is that was the strangest speech on the floor of the United States Senate that I have ever heard … It was absolutely unbecoming of a United States Senator"
Open source (opens in a new tab)Doug Jones: Tuberville's furry pilot Senate floor speech is 'the strangest I have ever heard' · AL.comJones's remarks at a news conference on Wednesday, Sept. 23, 2026, before a rally with Jason IsbellCondemnedCase context: Is there evidence for Tommy Tuberville's claim that furries working in the airline industry are a flight-safety risk?
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Asked at a news conference to respond to Sen. Tommy Tuberville's Senate floor speech, which AL.com reported included the remarks about furries and airline pilots, Democratic gubernatorial nominee Doug Jones said "My only comment is that was the strangest speech on the floor of the United States Senate that I have ever heard" and "It was absolutely unbecoming of a United States Senator".
Role at the time: Democratic nominee for Alabama governor and former U.S. senator, speaking at a news conference
Before the statement
Jones spoke at a news conference on Wednesday, September 23, ahead of a campaign rally with Jason Isbell. AL.com reported that he was asked to respond to comments Tuberville made on the Senate floor.
After the statement
Jones and Tuberville face each other in the November 3 general election for Alabama governor. AL.com also reported a response to the speech from the Alabama Trans Rights Action Coalition.
Doug Jones: Tuberville's furry pilot Senate floor speech is 'the strangest I have ever heard' · AL.comJones's remarks at a news conference on Wednesday, Sept. 23, 2026, before a rally with Jason IsbellWhy this label?
The reference point is Tuberville's claim that many airline pilots, flight attendants and air traffic controllers are furries and a flight-safety risk. Jones does not address the aviation claim separately but responds to the speech that contains it, calling it "unbecoming of a United States Senator", which criticizes Tuberville's making the remarks; no milder label fits.
This label describes the statement's response within the context above.
Jimmy Kimmel"Only the Lord and Donald Trump can stop these six-foot squirrels from flying you to Phoenix on Southwest. I cannot think of a more serious, made-up problem in this country right now than furries flying airplanes."
Watch the original video (opens in a new tab)Trump's TV Network FLOPS, Panicking Republicans Spew NONSENSE & Guillermo Dances His Heart Out! | Jimmy Kimmel LiveMonologue segment on Tuberville, about 6:10-7:58Open source (opens in a new tab)Jimmy Kimmel roasts Tuberville over furry pilot speech: 'What is Dummy Dumberville gonna do about it?' · AL.comArticle text describing Kimmel's Sept. 23, 2026 monologueCondemnedCase context: Is there evidence for Tommy Tuberville's claim that furries working in the airline industry are a flight-safety risk?
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In his September 23 monologue, Jimmy Kimmel mocked Sen. Tommy Tuberville's floor remarks about airline workers and the furry community, saying "Only the Lord and Donald Trump can stop these six-foot squirrels from flying you to Phoenix on Southwest" and that he cannot think of "a more serious, made-up problem in this country right now than furries flying airplanes".
Role at the time: Host of ABC's Jimmy Kimmel Live!, in a monologue
Before the statement
Kimmel introduced Tuberville as a former football coach and current Alabama senator who gave a Senate floor speech about the dangers of furries flying airplanes, then played the clip in which Tuberville says many airline pilots, flight attendants and air traffic controllers are part of the furry community.
After the statement
Kimmel asked what Tuberville would do about it, played more of the speech, including the passage about a pilot's fetish, and continued to joke about the senator.
Trump's TV Network FLOPS, Panicking Republicans Spew NONSENSE & Guillermo Dances His Heart Out! | Jimmy Kimmel LiveMonologue segment on Tuberville, about 6:10-7:58Jimmy Kimmel roasts Tuberville over furry pilot speech: 'What is Dummy Dumberville gonna do about it?' · AL.comArticle text describing Kimmel's Sept. 23, 2026 monologueWhy this label?
The reference point is Tuberville's claim that many airline pilots, flight attendants and air traffic controllers are furries and a flight-safety risk. Kimmel ridicules it and calls furries flying airplanes a "made-up problem", which rejects the claim outright rather than only disputing its wording.
This label describes the statement's response within the context above.
Sources
(26)
Original video
Senator Tuberville Speaks on the Senate Floor to Discuss the Transgender Mental Disease
Excerpt
"that many airline pilots, flight attendants, and air traffic controllers are part of the furry community. Lord, help us. It's terrifying when you think about this. When you walk onto a commercial flight, it's possible that the pilot flying your plane could have a deranged fetish of dressing up like an animal. You can't make this up."
About this source
Senator Tommy Tuberville's own upload of his Senate floor speech of September 22, 2026, delivered beside a sign reading "Transgenderism Is a Mental Disease." The speech is mostly about transgender people and violence; the passage about airline workers and the furry community comes near the end, after he says there is "significant overlap" between gender-confused people and the furry community. The same remarks appear in C-SPAN2's floor coverage.
- Author
- Tommy Tuberville
- Published
- Accessed
Original text
Furry Migration attendance statistics
Relevant passage: 2026 row: September 11-13, 2026; attendance 3836
Excerpt
"September 11 -13, 2026"
About this source
The convention's statistics page, which lists the 2026 event dates (September 11-13, 2026) and a total attendance of 3,836.
- Author
- Furry Migration
- Accessed
Original text
Furry Migration 2026 online schedule: Aviation Furs Meet-Up
Relevant passage: Saturday, September 12 listing "Aviation Furs Meet-Up," Greenway B, 4:30 PM, one hour
Excerpt
"Calling pilots, mechanics, ATC, line operators, or those who have an interest in aviation."
About this source
The convention's own schedule, which lists a one-hour "Aviation Furs Meet-Up" (categories "Meet And Greet" and "Workshop") on Saturday, September 12, 2026. The listing invites pilots, mechanics, air traffic control staff, line operators and others interested in aviation. It gives no attendance figure for the session or a count of aviation workers.
- Author
- Furry Migration
- Accessed
Reporting
'Meow, meow': Pilots scolded after animal noises heard on air traffic control frequency
Relevant passage: Article text on the April 12, 2026 DCA radio audio and the FAA statement
Excerpt
"The meowing occurred over an air traffic control frequency at Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport on April 12."
About this source
ABC News report of April 15, 2026 on audio in which two pilots are heard meowing and barking on an air traffic control frequency at Reagan National Airport. It quotes the FAA saying that regulations prohibit non-essential conversations below 10,000 feet. It does not say the pilots were furries.
- Author
- Clara McMichael
- Published
- Accessed
Original video
Trump's TV Network FLOPS, Panicking Republicans Spew NONSENSE & Guillermo Dances His Heart Out! | Jimmy Kimmel Live
Excerpt
"Only the Lord and Donald Trump can stop these six-foot squirrels from flying you to Phoenix on Southwest. I cannot think of a more serious, made-up problem in this country right now than furries flying airplanes."
About this source
Full episode of ABC's Jimmy Kimmel Live! from Wednesday, September 23, 2026, as uploaded to YouTube. In the monologue, Kimmel plays clips of Senator Tuberville's floor remarks about airline workers and the furry community and comments on them.
- Author
- Jimmy Kimmel
- Published
- Accessed
Reporting
Sen. Tommy Tuberville Says 'Deranged' Furry Culture Is Flight Safety Risk
Relevant passage: Article of Sept. 24, 2026, 4:54 p.m. EDT
Excerpt
"The senator did not provide any backing or data for his claims, instead sharing an NBC News clip of a radio recording from Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport in which two pilots can be heard meowing and barking at each other."
About this source
Forbes report on Senator Tuberville's two September 24, 2026 X posts. It notes that no major medical organization categorizes being a furry as a mental illness.
- Author
- Antonio Pequeño IV
- Published
- Accessed
Original post
FactPost on X: clip of Tuberville on airline workers and the furry community
Excerpt
"Tommy Tuberville: Many airline pilots, flight attendants, and air traffic controllers are part of the furry community. It's terrifying."
About this source
Clip of the floor remarks from C-SPAN2 coverage posted by the FactPost account the day after the speech. Lead Stories, Bill Kristol, The Bulwark and the AFA-CWA union's Bluesky account all cite or quote it or a similar clip.
- Author
- FactPost
- Published
- Accessed
Reporting
Pilots appear to 'meow' and 'bark' at each other over radio at DCA
Relevant passage: NBC News video published April 15-16, 2026
Excerpt
"Air traffic control had to remind two pilots to be professional after hearing them “meow” and “bark” over the radio at Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport."
About this source
NBC News video report on the April 2026 radio audio from Reagan National Airport, which includes an FAA statement. Senator Tuberville's September 24 X post attaches a short version of this report.
- Author
- NBC News
- Published
- Accessed
Reporting
FAA investigating after pilots heard meowing, barking over radio at DCA
Relevant passage: Article of April 16, 2026, updated April 17
Excerpt
"It's still unclear which airlines the pilots work for, and which flights they were on."
About this source
NBC4 Washington report on the April 2026 radio audio from Reagan National Airport. It quotes an FAA statement that it is investigating and a former JFK air traffic controller who calls the exchange a momentary joke.
- Author
- Joseph Olmo
- Published
- Accessed
Analysis
Fact Check: Sen. Tommy Tuberville DID Say Many Pilots, Flight Attendants And Air Traffic Controllers Are Part Of The Furry Community
Relevant passage: Fact check published Sept. 24, 2026; C-SPAN2 timestamp 1:58:00
Excerpt
"Sen. Tuberville did talk about airline pilots, flight attendants and air traffic controllers being a part of the "furry community" during his remarks on the Senate floor on Sept. 22, 2026."
About this source
Lead Stories' fact check of a viral clip. It confirms that the clip matches C-SPAN2's video of Tuberville's September 22 floor remarks and quotes the passage. It rates the authenticity of the clip and the quotation; it does not evaluate whether airline workers who are furries exist in any number or pose a safety risk.
- Author
- Alexis Tereszcuk
- Published
- Accessed
Original text
Alabama's Tuberville worries aloud about airline personnel joining 'the furry community'
Relevant passage: MaddowBlog post, Sept. 23, 2026, 4:05 p.m. EDT
Excerpt
"Well, you can make this up, and by all appearances, Tuberville did make this up."
About this source
MaddowBlog post by Steve Benen, producer for The Rachel Maddow Show and editor of MaddowBlog on MS NOW, on Senator Tuberville's floor remarks. It quotes the passage from Tuberville's office transcript and notes he is the Republican nominee for Alabama governor.
- Author
- Steve Benen
- Published
- Accessed
Original text
Tuberville makes unfounded claims that airplane staffs are furries
Relevant passage: Explainer section "Is there evidence that many airline workers are furries?"
Excerpt
"Tuberville did not identify a source for his claim about airline pilots, flight attendants or air traffic controllers."
About this source
Explainer by the Montgomery Advertiser (USA TODAY Network) published September 24, 2026, describing the floor remarks and what is and is not known about the claim. It says Tuberville did not identify a source and presented no evidence of a safety risk.
- Author
- Jennifer Lindahl
- Published
- Accessed
Original post
Bill Kristol on X: "Fact check: Whatever Tuberville thinks he's saying here, it's not terrifying."
Excerpt
"Fact check: Whatever Tuberville thinks he’s saying here, it’s not terrifying."
About this source
Post by Bill Kristol quoting FactPost's clip of Senator Tuberville saying that many airline pilots, flight attendants and air traffic controllers are part of the furry community and that it is terrifying.
- Author
- Bill Kristol
- Published
- Accessed
Original post
The Bulwark on X: Sam Stein reacts to Tuberville's furry remarks
Excerpt
"There's not a furry epidemic in our airplanes. Folks, get a grip."
About this source
Video posted by The Bulwark in which managing editor Sam Stein plays Senator Tuberville's floor remarks about airline workers and the furry community and responds to them.
- Author
- Sam Stein
- Published
- Accessed
Original post
Sen. Martin Heinrich on X: "I spend way too much time on commercial flights"
Excerpt
"I spend way too much time on commercial flights. Still haven’t seen a furry in the cockpit. $6.50 diesel on the other hand…"
About this source
Post by Senator Martin Heinrich (D-NM) on the account linked from his campaign website. The attached video is the clip of Tuberville's floor remarks about airline workers.
- Author
- Martin Heinrich
- Published
- Accessed
Original post
AFA-CWA on Bluesky quoting Sara Nelson on Tuberville's furry remarks
Relevant passage: Bluesky post with two images, quoting FactPost's clip of the floor remarks, Sept. 24, 2026, 21:30 UTC
Excerpt
"He could end the Iran War...but instead he's calling Care Bear “violent” to try to distract people from the problems he helped create."
About this source
Post from the flight attendant union's Bluesky account attributing the quoted statement to AFA President Sara Nelson. It quotes a clip of Tuberville's floor remarks about airline workers and the furry community and carries the same two images as the union's Instagram post.
- Author
- AFA-CWA
- Published
- Accessed
Original post
AFA-CWA and Sara Nelson on Instagram: "Thanks for the shoutout, Senator Tuberville"
Relevant passage: Instagram post by @afacwa and @flyingwithsara, two-slide carousel and caption, Sept. 24, 2026, 21:19 UTC
Excerpt
"Thanks for the shoutout, Senator Tuberville. We’re proud to be part of the furry community"
About this source
Post by the Association of Flight Attendants-CWA, shared with its president Sara Nelson's account. The first slide reads "Our furry flight attendants help keep our skies safe too"; the second quotes Nelson criticizing Tuberville's focus. The caption says Tuberville had said some pilots, flight attendants and air traffic controllers are furries and called it terrifying.
- Author
- AFA-CWA
- Published
- Accessed
Reporting
Jimmy Kimmel roasts Tuberville over furry pilot speech: 'What is Dummy Dumberville gonna do about it?'
Relevant passage: Article text describing Kimmel's Sept. 23, 2026 monologue
Excerpt
"“I cannot think of a more serious, made-up problem in this country right now than furries flying airplanes.”"
About this source
AL.com's report of Jimmy Kimmel's Wednesday-night monologue about Senator Tuberville's floor speech. It notes that Tuberville did not provide evidence for the assertion about airline workers.
- Author
- William Thornton
- Published
- Accessed
Reporting
Doug Jones: Tuberville's furry pilot Senate floor speech is 'the strangest I have ever heard'
Relevant passage: Jones's remarks at a news conference on Wednesday, Sept. 23, 2026, before a rally with Jason Isbell
Excerpt
"“My only comment is that was the strangest speech on the floor of the United States Senate that I have ever heard,” Jones said when asked to respond to what he said were “bizarre” comments Tuberville had made on the Senate floor."
About this source
AL.com's report of Democratic gubernatorial nominee Doug Jones's response, at a Wednesday news conference, to Senator Tuberville's September 22 floor speech, which included the remarks about airline workers and the furry community. Jones and Tuberville face each other in the November 3 general election.
- Author
- John Sharp
- Published
- Accessed
Reporting
Senator Tuberville Again Raises Alarm About 'Club' of Pilot Furries: 'Follow the Information'
Relevant passage: Article text quoting Tuberville's Capitol interview
Excerpt
"“It’s some part of mental illness that could be a catastrophe,” Tuberville concluded."
About this source
Mediaite's account of the September 24, 2026 interview in which Tuberville answered TMZ DC's questions about pilots and the furry community, with a transcript of the exchange.
- Author
- Kathryn Wilkens
- Published
- Accessed
Original post
TMZ DC's Jacob Wasserman on X: video of Sen. Tuberville answering questions at the Capitol
Excerpt
"They have a club. They have an organization."
About this source
Video of TMZ DC reporter Jacob Wasserman questioning Senator Tuberville on Capitol Hill on Thursday, September 24, 2026, about his floor remarks on pilots, flight attendants and air traffic controllers. Tuberville points to a pilots section at a furry convention in Minneapolis.
- Author
- Jacob Wasserman
- Published
- Accessed
Original post
Sen. Tommy Tuberville on X: "Aviation Furs Meet-up" at the Furry Migration convention
Excerpt
"Just a few weeks ago at the “Furry Migration” convention in Minneapolis, there was an “Aviation Furs Meet-up.”"
About this source
Senator Tuberville's second post of September 24, 2026, linking the online schedule of the Furry Migration convention held in Minneapolis on September 11-13, 2026. X displays a reader-added context note on the post.
- Author
- Tommy Tuberville
- Published
- Accessed
Original post
Sen. Tommy Tuberville on X: "I know the deranged Democrats don't like the fact that I called out the insane FURRY CULTURE this week"
Excerpt
"But the truth is, there is an ALARMING number of these DERANGED people working in our airline industry."
About this source
Senator Tuberville's post on his official account two days after his floor speech. It attaches a short video of an NBC News report on radio audio from Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport in which two pilots are heard meowing and barking. The post names no source for the "alarming number" it describes.
- Author
- Tommy Tuberville
- Published
- Accessed
Original post
Sen. Tommy Tuberville on X: "I'm heading to the Senate floor to talk about..." (September 22, 2026)
Excerpt
"I’m heading to the Senate floor to talk about how the Democrat-Socialists have intentionally caused mass gender-confusion among our young people, leading to violence and a disturbing trend of online ‘furry’ culture."
About this source
Senator Tuberville's post on his official account announcing the floor speech, hours before he delivered it. The post does not mention airline workers.
- Author
- Tommy Tuberville
- Published
- Accessed
Original text
Congressional Record, Senate, September 22, 2026: Transgender Violence (Mr. Tuberville)
Relevant passage: Remarks of Mr. Tuberville under the heading "Transgender Violence," pp. S4846-S4848; airline-workers passage on p. S4847
Excerpt
"that many airline pilots, flight attendants, and air traffic controllers are part of the furry community. Lord help us. It is terrifying when you think about this. When you walk onto a commercial flight, it is possible that the pilot flying your plane could have a deranged fetish of dressing up like an animal."
About this source
The official printed record of Senator Tuberville's September 22, 2026 floor remarks. The printed text differs slightly from the spoken words (for example, "this mentally unwell furry community").
- Author
- Congressional Record
- Published
- Accessed
Official statement
Tuberville Warns of Disturbing Trend of Violence Within So-Called 'Transgender' Movement
Relevant passage: Speech excerpts, paragraph beginning "It is clear that this gender confusion is a mental illness"
Excerpt
"many—listen to this—that many airline pilots, flight attendants, and air traffic controllers are part of the furry community. Lord help us. It’s terrifying when you think about this. When you walk on to a commercial flight, it’s possible that the pilot flying your plane could have a deranged fetish of dressing up like an animal. You can’t make this up."
About this source
Press release from Senator Tuberville's office, dated September 22, 2026, publishing excerpts of his floor speech with editorial bracketed edits. It links the video of the speech on YouTube and Rumble. Its wording differs slightly from the spoken remarks and from the Congressional Record.
- Author
- Office of Senator Tommy Tuberville
- Published
- Accessed