Air Traffic Control Fight Was Over Trump's DEI Disdain, Lawyer Claims

A couple air traffic controllers came to blows on the job at Reagan National Airport ... and one of the guy's lawyers tells us the fight boiled down to President Trump's disdain for DEI hiring policies.

Damon Gaines is facing misdemeanor assault and battery charges for the March 2025 fight inside the air traffic control tower at DCA ... and he's going in front of a judge tomorrow to learn his fate.

Gaines' lawyer, Robert Jenkins, tells TMZ ... the coworker his client brawled with was commenting on Trump's anti-DEI crusade and Gaines took offense to some of the comments, leading to a dustup on the tower floor ... right in front of the control screens.

We're told Gaines was upset because the coworker suggested Gaines was less competent and his hiring was connected to DEI policies.

Through his lawyer, Gaines tells us the fight was unfortunate and regrettable ... and if he had to do it all over again, he would have looked for a different way to resolve the disagreement.

Gaines' attorney says both employees threw punches and both acted as aggressors.

Cops were called and Gaines was issued a summons for assault and battery ... and we're told the FAA suspended him 45 days without pay.

Gaines' lawyer tells us he's back on the job after an FAA probe said he had a superb track record with the agency ... and this was the first time in 15 years on the job he got in trouble.

We're told things are back to normal in the DCA control tower ... and everyone's getting along ... but it will be interesting to see what happens in court tomorrow with Gaines.