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President Trump casts blame during briefing on deadly plane crash

President Trump casts blame during briefing on deadly plane crash
Credit: Jordan Connell, Fox 5

WASHINGTON (NEXSTAR) – President Donald Trump started Thursday’s press briefing with a moment of silence for the victims and their families after a deadly crash involving an American Airlines plane and an Army helicopter near Ronald Reagan National Airport on Wednesday night.

The president expressed his condolences calling it an “excruciating night” in our nation’s history and praised the first responders who have been working through the night.

“I speak to you this morning in an hour of anguish for our nation,” President Trump said. “I have to say the local, state, federal, military, including the United States Coast Guard in particular, they’ve done a phenomenal job.”

President Trump said the work has shifted to a recovery mission and that there are “no survivors.”

The briefing quickly turned to the president appearing to blame diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives at the FAA for weakening aviation safety and pointed to initiatives under the Obama and Biden administrations.

“You must have only the highest standards for those who work in our aviation system. I changed the Obama standards from very mediocre at best to extraordinary,” he said. “The FAA’s diversity push includes focus on hiring people with severe intellectual and psychiatric disabilities.”

Without evidence, the president appeared to blame air traffic controllers and the helicopter pilots for the deadly collision. When later pressed by a reporter on how he could be sure diversity played a role in the crash President Trump responded, “because I have common sense.”

The president invited his brand-new Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy to give brief remarks. Duffy praised President Trump’s leadership and promised a thorough investigation.

“We commit to them that we are going to get to the bottom of this investigation. Not in three years, not in four years but as quickly as possible,” Duffy said. “What happened yesterday shouldn’t have happened, it should not have happened.”

Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth as well as Vice President JD Vance also spoke from the podium.

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