Tuberville tells TMZ DC that furry pilots "have a club" and that it is "some part of mental illness that could be a catastrophe"
U.S. senator and Republican nominee for Alabama governor, answering a reporter's questions at the Capitol
“Some, not all. … They have a club. They have an organization. … they had a section of airline pilots … Well, I don't want somebody flying me that's behind the scenes that they think they're an animal. … It's some part of mental illness that could be a catastrophe.”
Source and context
Original post
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.
Reporting
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.
Before the quotation
TMZ DC reporter Jacob Wasserman stopped Tuberville on Capitol Hill and said he had gone viral for saying that pilots, air traffic controllers and flight attendants are furries. The video was posted at 5:08 p.m. EDT on September 24.
After the quotation
Wasserman asked why furries would be a problem for a pilot who flies well, and whether it would matter if the pilot is good. Tuberville answered that he does not want to be flown by someone who thinks he or she is an animal.
How this statement is classified
Case context: Is there evidence for Tommy Tuberville's claim that furries working in the airline industry are a flight-safety risk?
The label describes this statement’s response within the context above.
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. Asked how he knows, he says furry pilots "have a club", and he calls furry participation "some part of mental illness that could be a catastrophe". He narrows the claim to some pilots rather than many, but he reasserts the safety concern, so it still supports the claim rather than making his position mixed.
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Is there evidence for Tommy Tuberville's claim that furries working in the airline industry are a flight-safety risk?
Explore the case context, sources and public responses.
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Association of Flight Attendants-CWA
“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 statement
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