The plane crash in Washington: the most important statements by Trump and other US officials

U.S. officials have begun commenting on the causes and consequences of the mid-air collision between an airplane and a helicopter near Reagan National Airport. This is reported by CNN, UNN writes.

Details

As CNN notes, Trump, speaking to reporters from the White House briefing room, apparently blamed the mid-air collision on "promoting diversity" at the FAA without evidence. He pledged to work "very hard in the days ahead" and said his administration was ready to support the victims. But he then went on to criticize the previous Democratic administration and the former Secretary of Transportation, blaming their policies for the tragedy.

Vice President J.D. Vance expressed doubts about the lowering of hiring standards at the FAA, although he did not provide any evidence. Vance also stated that hundreds of people have sued the government because "they wanted to become air traffic controllers but were denied because of the color of their skin.

Secretary of Transportation Sean Duffy promised to reform the aviation safety system, noting that "the collision should not have happened" and assured that the Department of Transportation would work with the FAA to prevent such tragedies in the future.

Former Secretary of Transportation Pete Butedzic responded to Trump's criticism by noting that during his tenure, the department put safety first, reducing the number of dangerous situations, and had no fatalities in commercial airline crashes.

"While families are grieving, Trump should lead, not lie," he said in X. 

Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth said that the helicopter, which was participating in a routine night training exercise, made a mistake during the mission. 

The helicopter, with three servicemen on board, was participating in "annual routine training of night flights along a standard corridor to ensure the continuity of the government mission," the minister said.

Former Vice President Kamala Harris said she and former second-in-command Doug Emhoff are "heartbroken over the tragic plane and helicopter crash at DCA last night" in a statement posted on social media. She said their "prayers are with the victims and all those who loved them.

No survivors: Trump on plane crash in Washington, D.C30.01.25, 18:38 • 25676 views

Senator Roger Marshall of Kansas wrote on social media that the accident was a "confluence of errors" with no evidence as recovery efforts are ongoing and the investigation is just beginning. He attributed it to factors such as darkness and insufficient warning. 

Earlier, UNN wrotethat Trump said he had a "strong opinion" about the reasons for the collision between the American Eagle and the Black Hawk helicopter. The National Air Traffic Controllers Association believes it is premature to draw conclusions about the causes of the incident.

Recall

An American Eagle airplane with 64 passengers collided with a Black Hawk army helicopter near Reagan Airport.