Jo Ellis
Transgender military pilot Jo Ellis has sued conservative influencer Matt Wallace for defamation after he falsely claimed on social media that she was the pilot of the helicopter involved in the fatal January collision near Reagan National Airport.
The lawsuit states that Wallace, who has 2.2 million followers on X, posted a photo of Ellis and falsely identified her as the pilot less than 24 hours after the crash, which killed 67 people.
Subsequent posts from Wallace allegedly linked Ellis to the tragedy, including one suggesting a “trans terror attack,” which garnered 4.8 million views.
Ellis, a 15-year veteran of the Virginia Army National Guard, released a video denying her involvement after the rumors spread. While Wallace later acknowledged Ellis was not the pilot, the lawsuit argues his initial false claims caused significant damage to her reputation and safety, forcing her into the public eye and requiring private security.
Represented by the Equality Legal Action Fund, Ellis seeks damages, which she intends to donate to the victims’ families.
The lawsuit highlights a pattern of false accusations against transgender individuals following tragedies, and notes the recent Trump administration policies targeting the trans community.
