An investigation is simply starting into the deadly aircraft crash over the Potomac River in Washington, with no trigger decided but by the Nationwide Transportation Security Board.
President Donald Trump, although, was fast to attempt to assign blame on Thursday as he gave a press convention on the White Home whereas restoration crews navigated the icy waters looking for victims.
“We have no idea what led to this crash, however we’ve some very sturdy opinions,” he mentioned.
Trump first claimed, with out proof, that variety, fairness and inclusion initiatives underneath Democratic presidents could possibly be an element. He later doubled down on the unsubstantiated declare whereas he signed govt orders within the Oval Workplace.
Trump additionally prompt the helicopter pilots navigating the U.S. Military Black Hawk ought to have moved out of the way in which however at one level mentioned warnings to the crew got “very late.”
On Friday, he continued to query the chopper’s motion because it gave the impression to be flying above the mandated 200 toes. “That is not likely too sophisticated to know, is it???” he wrote on his social media platform Fact Social.
President Donald Trump speaks within the James Brady Press Briefing Room on the White Home, Jan. 30, 2025, in Washington.
Alex Brandon/AP
Main the investigation into the crash is the NTSB, with a preliminary report due in 30 days however a remaining report on possible trigger unlikely for at the very least a 12 months.
NTSB member Todd Inman, throughout an look on “Good Morning America” on Friday, mentioned it’s far too early to make a willpower.
“The one conclusion I do know is final night time we met with a number of hundred relations who misplaced their family members within the Potomac,” he mentioned. “We do not want that to occur anymore. … We will discover out what occurred, and we will attempt to cease it from taking place once more.”
Emergency response models work on the crash web site of the American Airways aircraft on the Potomac River after the aircraft crashed final night time on method to Reagan Nationwide Airport, Jan. 30, 2025, in Arlington, Va.
Al Drago/Getty Photos
Trump accused former President Joe Biden and former President Barack Obama of hiring air visitors controllers primarily based on variety targets.
“I put security first — Obama, Biden and the Democrats put coverage first, they usually put politics at a degree that no one’s ever seen,” Trump claimed at Thursday’s information convention.
When pressed by ABC Information Chief White Home Correspondent Mary Bruce what proof he had that the crash was brought on by DEI efforts, Trump responded: “It simply might have been.”
DEI or any related program doesn’t apply to hiring for air visitors management, which requires rigorous well being examinations and a multiyear coaching course of. Candidates should go a medical examination, an inherent ability check and a psychological check that’s extra stringent than that required of a pilot, mentioned Chris Wilbanks, FAA deputy vice chairman of security and technical coaching.
Trump pointed to a New York Put up article as he accused Democrats of pushing to rent folks with extreme psychological disabilities on the Federal Aviation Administration. However the variety language referenced within the article was on the FAA web site in the course of the entirety of Trump’s first time period and has been on the location for greater than a decade, in line with Snopes.
President Donald Trump talks to reporters after signing an govt order to nominate the deputy administrator of the Federal Aviation Administration within the Oval Workplace on the White Home, Jan. 30, 2025 in Washington.
Roberto Schmidt/AFP through Getty Photos
Trump’s assaults, although, are consistent with his agenda to dismantle DEI from the federal authorities. In his first week in workplace, he signed a number of orders to put federal staff engaged on DEI on administrative depart and to take away DEI efforts from the Pentagon.
Democrats pushed again on Trump’s claims in regards to the crash.
“Pay attention, it is one factor for web pundits to spew off conspiracy theories. It is one other for the president of the USA to throw out idle hypothesis as our bodies are nonetheless being recovered and households nonetheless being notified,” Senate Minority Chief Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., mentioned on Thursday. “It simply turns your abdomen.”
Pete Buttigieg, Biden’s transportation secretary and one other goal of Trump’s criticism within the wake of the crash, known as Trump’s feedback “despicable.”
“President Trump now oversees the navy and the FAA,” Buttigieg wrote in a social media publish. “Considered one of his first acts was to fireplace and droop among the key personnel who helped preserve our skies protected. Time for the President to point out precise management and clarify what he’ll do to forestall this from taking place once more.”
ABC Information’ Selina Wang, Benjamin Siegel, Sam Sweeney, Fritz Farrow and Hannah Demissie contributed to this report.