President Donald Trump addressed the media on Thursday regarding the mid-air collision between American Airlines Flight 5342 and a U.S. Army helicopter over Washington, D.C. The briefing took place in the Brady Press Briefing Room at the White House.
During the conference, Trump criticized former Presidents Barack Obama and Joe Biden, arguing that their administrations’ hiring policies contributed to aviation safety concerns.
“I put safety first; Obama, Biden, and the Democrats put policy first,” Trump stated.
He went on to reference Federal Aviation Administration hiring guidelines that emphasized diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI).
Several reporters questioned Trump about his comments, including CNN’s Kaitlan Collins.
“We don’t yet know the names of the 67 people who were killed, and you are blaming Democrats and DEI policies and air traffic control and seemingly the member of the U.S. military who was flying that Black Hawk helicopter,” Collins said. “Don’t you think you’re getting ahead of the investigation right now?”
“No, I don’t think so at all,” Trump responded. “You mean the names of the people that are on the plane? You think that’s going to make a difference?
“They are a group of people that have lost their lives. If you want a list of the names, we’ll be giving that very soon. We’re in coordination with American Airlines; we’re in coordination very strongly — obviously — with the military, but I think that’s not a very smart question. I’m surprised coming from you,” he said.
Trump to CNN's Kaitlan Collins: "That's not a very smart question — I'm surprised, coming from you." pic.twitter.com/ZrIOICJ5tg
— Breitbart News (@BreitbartNews) January 30, 2025
Just one week before the crash, Trump had signed an executive order reversing the FAA’s DEI-focused hiring practices.
“This Presidential Memorandum orders the Secretary of Transportation and FAA Administrator to immediately stop Biden DEI hiring programs and return to non-discriminatory, merit-based hiring,” the order stated.
The collision occurred Wednesday night when an American Airlines passenger jet and an Army Black Hawk helicopter crashed mid-air over Washington, D.C., sending debris into the Potomac River.
Sixty passengers and four crew members were on board the jet, while three soldiers were aboard the helicopter—a Sikorsky H-60. None survived.
