He then continued, “To the rest of you, welcome to the greatest country on the face of the planet, and if you disagree, you can leave.”
It remains unclear how many international visitors, if any, were aboard the train at the time Peterson made the remarks. The comments nevertheless generated strong reactions after the video spread across social media platforms.
The footage was recorded by Charles Scherer and his son, Nathan Scherer, who later reported the incident to the Chattanooga Area Regional Transportation Authority (CARTA), the agency that operates the Incline Railway. According to reports, Peterson’s employment was terminated the same day.
Nathan Scherer criticized the conductor’s comments during an interview, describing them as “disparaging remarks about foreigners.” He added, “Even if you were critical of the country, the idea that you have to leave if you have any complaints… the whole thing is weird to me.”
Charles Scherer also questioned Peterson’s assumptions about the passengers aboard the train.
“He doesn’t really know who is American and who’s not just by the way they look, so that kind of floored us,” Charles said.
Reflecting on CARTA’s response, Charles praised the agency for acting quickly.
“That made me feel really good about CARTA and about their responsiveness to this and believing it should have been handled,” he said.
Peterson declined to comment publicly following the controversy.
According to Fox News, CARTA Chief of Staff Scott Wilson issued a public apology after the incident gained national attention.
“I want to apologize directly to the passengers who experienced this, and to everyone who has seen the video and felt its sting. It should never have happened,” Wilson told News 9.
Wilson emphasized that the transit authority expects employees to treat every passenger with respect regardless of their background.
“We have zero tolerance for language that demeans or excludes anyone who rides with us. For 131 years, the Incline Railway has welcomed visitors from Chattanooga and from around the world. Every passenger who boards our railway deserves to feel respected and welcome, and we are committed to making sure that is always the case,” Wilson added.
In a separate statement to Fox News, Wilson also expressed pride in the United States while drawing a distinction between patriotism and the treatment of passengers.
“We certainly agree this is the greatest country on the face of the planet, especially in this 250th anniversary year of the Declaration of Independence,” Wilson said, while also criticizing what he described as “rudeness toward our guests.”
The incident has since become another flashpoint in the nation’s ongoing cultural debate. Supporters of Peterson argue that his remarks reflected patriotic sentiment and frustration over illegal immigration, while critics contend that public employees should avoid making comments that could alienate passengers or visitors.
The viral exchange has generated thousands of reactions online, with many questioning whether the conductor’s remarks warranted immediate termination. Others defended CARTA’s decision, arguing that employees representing a public transportation system should maintain professionalism while serving riders from all backgrounds.
The controversy illustrates how quickly a brief public interaction can become a national story in the social media era, where a single viral video can ignite heated political debate well beyond the local community where it occurred.
