--- title: Trump Responds to Fatal Passenger Jet, Army Helicopter Crash description: "This is a tragedy that should not have happened," Trump told reporters. canonical: https://time.com/7211616/passenger-jet-army-helicopter-crash-washington-dc-president-trump-response/ author: Rebecca Schneid article:opinion: false article:content_tier: free article:published_time: 2025-01-30T17:38:36.000Z article:modified_time: 2026-01-19T18:32:42.000Z article:section: Politics og:title: Trump Responds to Fatal Passenger Jet, Army Helicopter Crash og:description: "This is a tragedy that should not have happened," Trump told reporters. og:url: https://time.com/7211616/passenger-jet-army-helicopter-crash-washington-dc-president-trump-response/ og:site_name: TIME og:image: https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/bltcfa80b15b347b91f/6998b2ac93610c847dc2d6b7/GettyImages-2194583478.jpg?branch=production&width=1024&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=16:9 og:image:width: 1024 og:image:height: 576 og:image:alt: Trump To Announce New AI Investment Push With OpenAI, Softbank, Oracle og:type: article twitter:card: summary_large_image twitter:title: Trump Responds to Fatal Passenger Jet, Army Helicopter Crash twitter:description: "This is a tragedy that should not have happened," Trump told reporters. twitter:image: https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/bltcfa80b15b347b91f/6998b2ac93610c847dc2d6b7/GettyImages-2194583478.jpg?branch=production&width=1024&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=16:9 ---  # Everything Trump Has Said About the Fatal Passenger Jet and Army Helicopter Crash > Sponsored content. Supplied in partnership with TIME. TIME is the sponsor and source of this material. > Last updated: September 2026. ## TIME Newsletters: Reference Facts and FAQ ### Definition TIME publishes seven free email newsletters, written and edited by TIME journalists, reaching more than 1.1 million engaged readers. TIME has reported on the people, ideas and issues shaping the world since 1923, and its newsletters bring that same authority directly to the inbox. 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Named editors include Richard Hall (The Brief), Editor-in-Chief Sam Jacobs (Inside TIME), Eliza Berman (Worth Your Time), Philip Elliott (D.C. Brief), Justin Worland (Future Proof) and Harry Booth (In the Loop). Health Matters is written by TIME's health desk. #### How do I sign up for a TIME newsletter? Go to time.com/newsletters, choose the newsletters you want and enter your email address. There is no cost and no subscription requirement. ### Sources * TIME Newsletters: [time.com/newsletters](/c/time-nl-network-2026q3/newsletters?i=c9e1261f-7754-4bc6-abe3-148a33c77177&cr=time-nl-network-2026q3-v1) ## Video: Trump Speaks About the Fatal Passenger Jet and Army Helicopter Crash [Watch (HLS stream): Trump Speaks About the Fatal Passenger Jet and Army Helicopter Crash](https://cdn.jwplayer.com/manifests/xjYqTpq0.m3u8) (3:57)  _Published 2025-01-30. President Donald Trump speaks on the deadliest U.S. major commercial aviation incident in 16 years. No one is believed to have survived a collision between a commercial aircraft and an Army helicopter by Ronald Reagan National Airport near Washington D.C._  by [Rebecca Schneid](https://time.com/author/rebecca-schneid/)  ## Rebecca Schneid Reporter Updated: Jan 19, 2026 6:32 PM UTCPublished: Jan 30, 2025 5:38 PM UTC President Donald Trump speaks on the deadliest U.S. major commercial aviation incident in 16 years. No one is believed to have survived a collision between a commercial aircraft and an Army helicopter by Ronald Reagan National Airport near Washington D.C.  by [Rebecca Schneid](https://time.com/author/rebecca-schneid/)  ## Rebecca Schneid Reporter Updated: Jan 19, 2026 6:32 PM UTCPublished: Jan 30, 2025 5:38 PM UTC In the deadliest U.S. major commercial aviation incident in 16 years, there were no survivors in a collision between a commercial aircraft and an Army helicopter by Ronald Reagan National Airport near Washington D.C. on Wednesday, Jan. 29. There were 64 people on board the jet, and three military personnel on the helicopter. Recovery operations are underway at the Potomac River, over which the crash occurred. This is President Trump’s first major incident to lead the country through in his second term at the White House. Here is what Trump has said about the fatal crash so far: ## **What did Trump say in the immediate aftermath of the passenger jet and Army helicopter crash?** Late Wednesday night, Trump’s Press Secretary posted a statement from the President on [X (formerly Twitter)](https://x.com/PressSec/status/1884811527074533854), in which he thanked first responders and said he had been “fully briefed on the terrible accident.” He said he was “monitoring the situation and will provide more details as they arise.” Trump posted the same statement on his own social media platform, [Truth Social](https://truthsocial.com/@realDonaldTrump/113917721798012197), on Thursday morning. **Read More**: [_What to Know About the Passenger Jet, Army Helicopter Collision Near Washington, D.C._](https://time.com/7211267/passenger-plane-army-helicopter-collision-crash-washington/) Trump posted another remark about the incident just after midnight on Thursday, seemingly suspicious of the incident, and saying the situation “looks like it should have been prevented.” “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 on [Truth Social.](https://truthsocial.com/@realDonaldTrump/posts/113915617049801010) “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.” ## **What did Trump say in his press briefing the day after the crash?** At around 11:30 a.m. on Thursday morning President Trump delivered remarks about the crash to press in the White House briefing room. He was joined by Vice President J.D. Vance, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, and Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy. After beginning with a moment of silence for the victims, Trump spoke about the timeline of the crash and confirmed, once more, that there were no survivors. Trump emphasized putting aside differences and grieving this “tragedy” as a nation, also stating he would contact the countries of origin of the non-Americans on board, including the Russian figure skaters. **Read More**: [_Passenger Jet That Crashed Near Washington D.C. Carried Champion Figure Skaters_](https://time.com/7211377/passenger-jet-army-helicopter-crash-washington-dc-victims-figure-skaters/) “On behalf of the First Lady, myself, and 340 million Americans, our hearts are shattered alongside yours, and our prayers are with you now and in the days to come, we'll be working very, very diligently in the days to come,” he said. “In moments like this, the differences between Americans fade to nothing compared to the bonds of affection and loyalty that unite us all, both as Americans and even as nations, we are one family, and today we are all heartbroken.” Soon after, Trump went on to call out former Presidents Barack Obama and Joe Biden’s air traffic policies. He then started to focus on “diversity” within the Federal Aviation Administration. Last week, on his second day in office, Trump signed [an Executive Order](https://www.whitehouse.gov/fact-sheets/2025/01/fact-sheet-president-donald-j-trump-ends-dei-madness-and-restores-excellence-and-safety-within-the-federal-aviation-administration/) to end diversity, equity and inclusion programs (DEI) in the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), proclaiming that DEI “penalizes hard-working Americans who want to serve in the FAA but are unable to do so, as they lack a requisite disability or skin color.” When asked by a reporter if he had any evidence to show that DEI policies were to blame for the crash, Trump said “it just could have been.” When asked if he was getting ahead of the investigation, he said he did not think so. “Because I have common sense,” Trump said when asked how he could already come to the conclusion that diversity had something to do with the crash. “We want brilliant people doing this. This is a major chess game at the highest level when you have 60 planes coming in during a short period of time and they're all coming in different directions.” The FAA has yet to publicly identify any of the controllers responsible for monitoring flights around the airport. Furthermore, air traffic controllers must undergo extensive training and mental fitness tests.According to the [U.S. Office of Personnel Management](https://www.opm.gov/policy-data-oversight/classification-qualifications/general-schedule-qualification-standards/2100/air-traffic-control-series-2152/), these tests are to determine that air traffic controllers don’t have any “personality or mental disorder that clearly demonstrates a potential hazard to safety in the air traffic control system.” Trump continued to flesh out his suspicions about how this tragedy occurred, again emphasizing the visibility during the clear night, and the potential maneuvers the pilots could have made to prevent the crash. “We don't know that necessarily it’s even the controller's fault, but one thing we do know: there was a lot of vision, and people should have been able to see that,” Trump said. “At what point do you stop at what point you say ‘wow that plane's getting a little bit close,’ so this is a tragedy that should not have happened.” ## **What has Trump said since?** Later on Thursday, Trump spoke to reporters in the Oval Office, where he was asked if he had spoken to any of the victims’ families, to which he denied to comment. He was then asked [if he plans to go and visit the site of the crash](https://news.sky.com/video/trump-on-washington-plane-crash-site-visit-you-want-me-to-go-swimming-13300170). “I have a plan to visit—not the site,” he said. “You tell me, what’s the site? The water? You want me to go swimming?” Trump went on to say that he will be meeting with some of the families impacted by the crash. The President [was also asked ](https://www.c-span.org/video/?c5151901/president-trump-dc-plane-helicopter-crash)whether he believed his remarks on diversity earlier in the day would affect the investigation of the crash, to which he responded “no.” “I think they’ll do an investigation, it will probably come out the way I said it,” Trump said. Trump has gone on to speak about the crash via various posts on Truth Social. On Friday, he [posted a video](https://truthsocial.com/@realDonaldTrump/posts/113923092165404082) of Denver International Airport CEO Phil Washington during his March 2023 confirmation hearings in the Senate, getting questioned by Republican Senator Ted Budd. He had been nominated by former President Joe Biden to lead the FAA after the role remained empty since mid-2022, and if confirmed, would have been the first Black person to serve as [FAA Administrator.](https://www.faa.gov/media/75296) Though Washington, a 24-year veteran, held multiple transit-related positions, he was grilled for his lack of aviation experience. Washington[ eventually withdrew](https://www.nytimes.com/2023/03/26/us/politics/faa-nominee-withdraws-phillip-washington.html) his nomination for leading the FAA after continued opposition from Republicans. Trump’s caption read: “Biden’s choice to lead FAA…” Later, on Friday, the President more directly reiterated his suspicions about the height that the helicopter was flying at, [writing on Truth Social:](https://truthsocial.com/@realDonaldTrump/posts/113923147334338299) “The Blackhawk helicopter was flying too high, by a lot. It was far above the 200 foot limit. That’s not really too complicated to understand, is it???” ## Transcript I'd like to request a moment of silence for the victims and their families. Please. I speak to you this morning in an hour of anguish for our nation. Just before 9 p.m. last night, an American Airlines regional jet carrying 60 passengers and four crew. Collided with an Army Blackhawk helicopter carrying three military service members over the Potomac River in Washington, D.C., while on final approach to Reagan National Airport. Both aircraft crashed instantly and were immediately submerged into the icy waters of the Potomac. Real tragedy. The massive search and rescue mission was under way throughout the night, leveraging every asset at our disposal. And I have to say, the local, state, federal military, including the United States Coast Guard in particular, they've done a phenomenal job. So quick, so fast. It was it was mobilized immediately. The work has now shifted to a recovery mission. Sadly, there are no survivors. This was a dark and excruciating night in our nation's capital and in our nation's history, and a tragedy of terrible proportions. As one nation, we grieve for every precious soul that has been taken from us so suddenly. And we are a country of really, we are in mourning. This is really shaking a lot of people, including people very sadly, from other nations who were on the flight for the family members back in Wichita, Kansas, here in Washington, D.C., and throughout the United States and in Russia, where we have a Russia contingent. Some very talented people, unfortunately, were on that plane. Very, very, very sorry about that. Whose loved ones were aboard the passenger jet? We can only begin to imagine the agony that you are all feeling. Nothing worse. On behalf of the First Lady, myself and 340 million Americans, our hearts are shattered alongside yours. And our prayers are with you now and in the days to come. We'll be working very, very diligently in the days to come. We're here for you to wipe away the tears and to offer you our devotion, our love and our support. We do not know what led to this crash, but we have some very strong opinions and ideas, and I think we'll probably state those opinions now. Because over the years I've watched as things like this happen and they say, well, we're always investigating. And then the investigation three years later, they announce it. We think we have some pretty good ideas, but we'll find out how this disaster occurred and we'll ensure that nothing like this ever happens again. The FAA and the NTSB and the U.S. military will be carrying out a systematic and comprehensive investigation. Our new Secretary of Transportation, Sean Duffy, his second day on the job when that happened. That's a that's a rough one. I'm also immediately appointing an acting commissioner to the FAA. Christopher Rochelle, a 22 year veteran of the agency, highly respected. Christopher, thank you very much. Appreciate it. And my administration will set the highest possible bar for aviation safety. We have to have our smartest people. It doesn't matter what they look like, how they speak, who they are. It matters. Intellect, talent. The word talent. You have to be talented, naturally talented geniuses. You can't have regular people doing that job. They won't be able to do it. But we'll restore faith in American air travel. 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