President Donald Trump delivered a significant update on Thursday regarding the deadly midair collision at Reagan National Airport. Speaking from the White House briefing room, the president opened his remarks by leading a moment of silence for the victims, calling it a moment of “deep anguish” for the nation. Trump expressed his condolences to the families affected and assured Americans that his administration is working closely with aviation and safety officials to determine the cause of the tragedy and prevent future incidents.
“Sadly, there are no survivors,” Trump announced. “Together we take solace in the knowledge that their journey ended not in the cold waters of the Potomac, but in the warm embrace of a loving God. On Wednesday evening, a tragic midair collision occurred between an American Airlines passenger jet and a U.S. Army Black Hawk helicopter near Ronald Reagan National Airport in Washington, D.C. The crash resulted in the deaths of all 64 individuals aboard the plane and the three soldiers on the helicopter.
The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) and the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) have initiated investigations to determine the cause of the collision. Recovery operations are ongoing, with over 30 bodies recovered from the Potomac River under challenging conditions. This incident marks the deadliest U.S. airliner accident in over two decades. Authorities are committed to uncovering the factors that led to this tragedy to prevent future occurrences.
“I have been fully briefed on the terrible accident which just took place at Reagan International Airport,” Trump wrote on his Truth Social platform. “May God Bless their souls. Thank you for the incredible work being done by our first responders. I am monitoring the situation and will provide more details as they arise,” he said before he followed up his original posts raising some questions about what may have happened.
“The airplane was on a perfect and routine line of approach to the airport. The helicopter was going straight at the airplane for an extended period of time,” he wrote. “It is a CLEAR NIGHT, the lights on the plane were blazing, why didn’t the helicopter go up or down, or turn. Why didn’t the control tower tell the helicopter what to do instead of asking if they saw the plane. This is a bad situation that looks like it should have been prevented. NOT GOOD!!!” He concluded, “What a terrible night this has been. God bless you all!”