Press & Media

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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.

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.

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.

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

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

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

 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. 

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.