Washington – President Trump spoke in the White House press briefing room Thursday morning, following the fatal plane crash in the Potomac River in Washington, D.C., and attempted to blame the tragedy on DEI initiatives and the Biden administration.
A regional jet collided with a US Army helicopter late Wednesday, marking the first major commercial plane crash in the United States in more than a decade.
“I speak to you this morning in an hour of anguish for our nation,” Trump told the audience.
He stated that the “massive search and rescue operation” that began overnight was “leveraging every asset at our disposal,” and that responders had done a “phenomenal job.”
“The work has now shifted to a recovery mission,” said the commander. “Sadly, there are no survivors.”
“We are in mourning, this has really shaken a lot of people.”
The president promised to help the families affected by the crash, stating, “We are all looking for answers.”
“We do not know what led to this crash, but we have some very strong opinions and ideas,” the president said. “We will find out how this disaster occurred and we will ensure that nothing like this ever happens again.”
The briefing follows the collision of American Eagle Flight No. 5342, which took off from Wichita, Kansas, with 60 passengers and four crew members, with an Army Black Hawk helicopter carrying three soldiers near Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport on Wednesday night.
Mr. Trump announced that he would immediately appoint Christopher Rocheleau as acting commissioner of the Federal Aviation Administration. Mr. Trump stated that the collision occurred on a “very clear night” and that “for some reason, adjustments were not made.”
He criticized the Biden administration and diversity initiatives, claiming that he had raised standards for those working in aviation.
“I prioritize safety first. “Obama, Biden, and the Democrats prioritize policy,” Mr. Trump stated.
He criticized what he called a “FAA diversity push that focuses on hiring people with severe intellectual and psychiatric disabilities.” That is incredible, and then the FAA says that people with severe disabilities are the most underrepresented segment of the workforce, and they want them in. They could be air traffic controllers. “I do not think so,” he replied.
“Brilliant people have to be in those positions,” he told me. “….And you need a very special talent, and a very special genius, to be able to do it.”
Mr. Trump and Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, who were also present at the briefing, appeared to suggest that hires made in accordance with DEI policies played a role in the crash, but acknowledged that it is unclear at this point in the investigation where fault may lie.
When asked specifically how he came to the conclusion that diversity had something to do with the crash, Mr. Trump replied, “because I have common sense.”
The president’s comments drew sharp criticism from the Senate’s top Democrat. “It is one thing for internet pundits to spew off conspiracy theories, it is another for the president of the United States to throw out idle speculation as bodies are still being recovered and families still being notified,” said Chuck Schumer, the chamber’s minority leader. “It just turns your stomach.”
The president was joined at the briefing by Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy, who was sworn in on Wednesday. Duffy outlined the “whole of government response” to the crash thus far, committing to “get to the bottom of this investigation — not in three years, not in four years, but as quickly as possible.”
“What happened yesterday should not have occurred. “It should not have happened,” Duffy explained. “And when Americans take off in airplanes, they should expect to land at their destination.”
Duffy stated that the Transportation Department would not accept excuses and would take responsibility for implementing reforms to ensure “these mistakes do not happen again.”
Hegseth also spoke during the briefing, emphasizing that the administration would decide what happened.
Hegseth identified the three soldiers aboard the Black Hawk as a young captain, a staff sergeant, and a CW-2 chief warrant officer who were undergoing “routine annual retraining” for a “continuity of government” mission.
“The military does dangerous things, it does routine things, on a regular basis,” Hegseth told reporters. “Tragically last night a mistake was made.”
He acknowledged that there was “some sort of an elevation issue” that the Defense Department and Army were looking into.
Hegseth promised that the department would have “the best and brightest in every position possible,” and echoed Mr. Trump’s criticism of diversity, declaring, “The era of DEI is gone at the Defense Department.”
Emergency crews continued to search the crash site Thursday morning. At an earlier news briefing, District of Columbia Fire and Emergency Medical Services Chief John Donnelly reported that 27 bodies had been recovered from the plane and one from the helicopter.
The president’s news conference lasted longer than 30 minutes.
Mr. Trump said in a statement Wednesday night that he had been fully briefed on the crash and thanked “our first responders for their incredible work.”
He later posted on Truth Social, questioning why the collision occurred under what appeared to be normal conditions.
“This is a bad situation that looks like it should have been prevented,” Trump told reporters. “NOT GOOD!!!”]