Press & Media
WIRED: A Trans Pilot Was Falsely Blamed for a Plane Crash. Now She’s Fighting the Right-Wing Disinfo Machine
WIRED feature examining how Jo Ellis became the target of a viral right-wing misinformation campaign after being falsely accused of causing the January 2025 Washington, D.C. helicopter–airliner crash. The article details how Ellis, a Virginia Army National Guard Black Hawk pilot, was thrust into the national spotlight, received harassment and death threats, and responded by releasing a proof-of-life video and filing a defamation lawsuit against influencer Matt Wallace. WIRED frames her story as a case study in how online disinformation scapegoats transgender people after public tragedies, while highlighting Ellis’s resolve to turn trauma into advocacy and to use her growing platform in comedy and media to push for truth, accountability, and resilience.
CNN: Trans National Guard pilot falsely accused of flying helicopter in fatal collision
Jo Ellis, who is a transgender pilot for the National Guard speaks to CNN’s Michael Smerconish after a wave of claims on social media falsely pointed to her as the pilot of the Black Hawk helicopter that collided with a passenger jet in Washington, Wednesday, killing 67 people.
DARKHORSE Podcast with Bret Weinstein
Jo Ellis appeared as a guest on the DarkHorse Podcast with Bret Weinstein, where she shared her story as a former U.S. Army Black Hawk pilot who was falsely targeted in a viral misinformation campaign following the Washington, D.C. crash. In a wide-ranging conversation, Ellis discussed her military background, the personal toll of becoming an online scapegoat, and how resilience and humor helped her navigate the fallout. The episode highlighted her emerging turn toward stand-up comedy as both a coping mechanism and a platform for truth-telling, presenting Jo as a thoughtful, grounded voice willing to engage across divides while turning adversity into purpose.
The Daily Show: Transgender Soldiers Explain Why Trump’s Military Ban Is Bogus
Following Trump’s ban on transgender people in the military, Jordan Klepper met with a panel of esteemed service members, including Jo Ellis, to discuss the president’s rejection of their qualifications, which stand in stark contrast to Trump’s own bone spur excuses
SLATE: The Cult of Kill Tony
Jo Ellis was profiled by Slate examining her breakout appearance on Kill Tony at Joe Rogan’s Comedy Mothership, framing it as a pivotal moment in her emergence as a stand-up comedian. The article portrays Ellis as a trans former U.S. Army Black Hawk pilot who deliberately stepped into one of the country’s most intimidating comedy environments and won the crowd with confidence and sharp, joke-first storytelling. Slate highlights her self-aware strategy to “infiltrate” the Austin comedy scene to reach audiences beyond her usual circles, presenting Jo as a politically independent voice using comedy as a bridge rather than a battlefield, and as a rising performer determined to earn her place through laughs.
UK Observer: Laughing in Joe Rogan land
Jo Ellis was featured in The Observer’s profile of Austin’s influential comedy scene, where stand-up has become a crossroads of politics, free speech, and cultural change. Journalist Andrew Hankinson met Ellis by chance at a Dave Smith show and highlighted her story as a trans former U.S. Army Black Hawk pilot who turned to comedy after being falsely targeted in a viral misinformation campaign. The piece presents Jo as emblematic of a new wave of comedians using humor as truth-telling and bridge-building, navigating the orbit of Joe Rogan’s Comedy Mothership while transforming personal resilience into sharp, human comedy.
RVAMag: Jo Ellis Did Her Job. The Army Didn't
Jo Ellis was profiled in RVA Magazine’s Virginia Pride Guide as a story of service, resilience, and principle in the face of institutional betrayal. The article highlights her long career as a Virginia National Guard Black Hawk pilot — including Iraq War service and intensive military training — and how she transitioned while still in uniform with support from her unit leadership. It contextualizes her forced separation under the Trump administration’s transgender military ban and the simultaneous right-wing misinformation campaign that falsely implicated her in a Washington, D.C., helicopter–airliner collision, prompting her to post a proof-of-life video and face online threats. Throughout, the piece underscores Ellis’s commitment to the values of service she entered the military to uphold, the respect she earned from fellow soldiers, and her determination to live by those principles even as the very institution she served moves to purge transgender troops — defining her courage as personal conviction and quiet defiance
The New York Times: Pilot Sues Influencer on X in Latest Test of Defamation Law
Jo Ellis, a National Guard pilot, is suing an influencer who falsely identified her as the captain of a helicopter that collided with a passenger plane in January.
The Guardian: ‘I became collateral damage’: the trans pilot falsely targeted over Washington DC crash
In a feature for The Guardian on the aftermath of the January 2025 Washington, D.C. plane crash, Jo Ellis was profiled as a transgender Black Hawk pilot in the Virginia National Guard who was falsely and widely accused online of being involved in the tragedy despite having no connection to the incident. The article highlights how misinformation and transphobic commentary spread on social media, forcing Ellis to post a “proof of life” video and confront harassment while underscoring her commitment to continue serving and to turn a painful episode into a platform for truth and resilience rather than victimhood
NPR: A pilot vows not to go quietly as deadline for transgender military troops approaches
Jo Ellis appeared on NPR News in a segment reported by Steve Walsh, discussing the Pentagon’s renewed effort to remove transgender service members following an interim Supreme Court ruling. Featured as a Chief Warrant Officer and Black Hawk pilot in the Virginia National Guard with more than 15 years of service, Ellis challenged Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth’s rhetoric and defended the professionalism and readiness of transgender troops. In the interview, she vowed to remain in uniform through the involuntary separation process, calling on leaders to judge her record and qualifications, not her identity, and framing her stance as a principled stand for service, dignity, and accountability in the face of a politicized ban.
SMERCONISH: Living to Serve, Living as Myself: A Transgender Service Member’s Perspective
Personal Essay written for Smerconish.com - With 15 years of military service, Jo Ellis shares her journey of balancing a lifelong commitment to duty with the courage to live authentically
Washington Examiner: Why the transgender movement is losing traction, insiders explain
Jo Ellis is quoted offering a pragmatic, centrist perspective on transgender issues, arguing that social-media extremes distort public understanding. Drawing on her experience as a combat veteran, pilot, and podcast host, she emphasizes everyday visibility, common-sense discourse, and bridge-building over ideology.
The New York Times: How the Transgender Rights Movement Bet on the Supreme Court and Lost
Jo Ellis appears as a thoughtful, pragmatic voice amid an in-depth examination of the Skrmetti case and its fallout. Quoted alongside activists and legal figures, she reflects on strategy, messaging, and scientific uncertainty, arguing for clearer first principles and a less dogmatic approach to transgender advocacy in a shifting legal and cultural landscape.
The Conversationalist: “I Find Hope in Simply Still Being Here”
Jo Ellis is featured alongside fellow transgender service members Emily Shilling and Paulo Batista in The Conversationalist’s in-depth interview examining the reinstated transgender military ban and its human cost. Speaking as an Army National Guard Chief Warrant Officer, Ellis discusses the loss of experienced personnel, the strain placed on readiness, and the personal consequences of policies driven by politics rather than performance. The article also highlights Ellis’ participation in the documentary project Fighting Forward, which follows her and other service members as they navigate service, advocacy, and identity amid renewed restrictions, underscoring her belief in incremental progress and democratic resilience even in the face of institutional exclusion.