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Washington DC plane crash: Trump highly doubts the crash, says it ‘should have been prevented’
Donald Trump criticized the recent mid-air collision between an American Airlines jet and a Black Hawk helicopter, questioning why it wasn't prevented.
Donald Trump thinks the crash between an American Airlines passenger jet and the Black Hawk military helicopter “should have been prevented.”
Following the official statement, Trump took to his Truth Social platform to raise several questions regarding the circumstances of the crash, which occurred at 8:48 p.m. on Wednesday.
“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. It is a CLEAR NIGHT, the lights on the plane were blazing, why didn’t the helicopter go up or down, or turn?” Trump questioned.
“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!!!”
“What a terrible night this has been. God bless you all!” the POTUS later posted.
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Transportation Secretary says the DC plane crash was ‘absolutely’ preventable
Trump had previously addressed the incident, saying, “I have been fully briefed on the terrible accident which just took place at Reagan National Airport. 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.”
Vice President JD Vance also took to social media to urge people to “say a prayer for everyone involved in the mid-air collision near Reagan airport this evening. We’re monitoring the situation, but for now, let’s hope for the best.”
American Airlines confirmed that Flight 5342, travelling from Wichita, Kansas, to Washington, D.C., had 60 passengers and four crew members aboard when the accident took place. CNN report confirms a total of 28 bodies have been recovered yet.
Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy confirmed on Wednesday night that he was at FAA headquarters, closely monitoring developments.
Duffy also voiced that the crash was “absolutely” preventable. “We are going to wait for all the information to come in from this vantage point, but … what I’ve seen so far, do I think this was preventable? Absolutely,” he said.
He also noted that both the flights were flying in a “standard flight pattern” the previous night. “Last night was clear, and the helicopter was following the standard pattern. If you're a DC local, you're no stranger to seeing helicopters moving along the river. This was a standard flight pattern last night as well,” he said.
