Donald Trump Speaks Out on the Washington, D.C., Plane Crash
President of the United States Donald Trump Speaks About the Washington, D.C., Plane Crash
President Donald Trump responded to the FAA’s disclosure of the details of the recent plane crash in Washington, D.C., through posts on Truth Social. VP JD Vance has also made a statement.
Donald Trump, the President of the United States (POTUS), recently shared his thoughts on the plane crash that occurred at Reagan Washington Airport on January 29, 2025, at approximately 9 p.m. local time, on Truth Social. He also sent out a second message highlighting how serious the situation is.
A PSA Airlines Bombardier CRJ700 regional plane was heading toward Runway 33 at the airport when it struck a Sikorsky H-60 helicopter in midair, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) said in a statement posted on X.
“PSA was operating as Flight 5342 for American Airlines,” states the Federal Aviation Administration. Additionally, the organization made it clear that the aircraft was leaving from Wichita, Kansas.
The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) will be in charge of the crash investigation, with assistance from the FAA. Additionally, the aviation administration affirmed that they will keep the public informed when new information becomes available.
The PSA Airlines Bombardier CRJ700 regional plane was making a regular and accurate approach to the airport, according to Trump’s first statement.
He went on to say that the helicopter with which the airliner had collided had been aimed directly at the aircraft for a considerable amount of time.
“The plane’s lights were blazing, and it was a CLEAR NIGHT. Why didn’t the helicopter turn or go up or down? Trump wrote, “Instead of asking if the helicopter saw the plane [sic], why didn’t the control tower tell them what to do?”
He concluded by stressing the seriousness of the incident and saying that he thought it could have been prevented, before yelling, “NOT GOOD!!!” The president reaffirmed the incident’s devastating impact in his second Truth Social post. “God bless you all!” he spoke directly to the crowd.
Karoline Leavitt, the White House Press Secretary, also spoke about the incident. She stressed the administration’s focus on people affected and acknowledged the crash’s seriousness in an interview with TV host Sean Hannity.
“I can confirm that President Trump has been made aware of the situation, and tragically, it appears that a military helicopter collided with a regional jet at DCA airport right here in Washington, D.C.,” Leavitt said.
She said, “That’s all I can confirm at this point in time, and I can just say that the thoughts and the prayers of the entire Trump administration are with all those that are involved, and we ask the public in this area to please stand by for guidance from law enforcement, and allow them to do their jobs as they attempt to save lives right now.”
Vice President (VP) JD Vance shared a succinct but somber message on X, echoing Leavitt and Trump’s remarks over the incident. “Please offer up a prayer for all those impacted by tonight’s mid-air incident close to Reagan Airport. Let’s hope for the best for the time being, but we’re keeping an eye on things,” the VP wrote.
News organizations are still on the ground, offering real-time updates as new information becomes available while the investigation into the tragic mid-air crash continues. The wreckage of both aircraft, an Army Black Hawk helicopter and an American Eagle Flight 5342 regional plane, is still scattered in the Potomac River, where search operations are still underway, according to CBS News.
Officials verified that the chopper had a three-person military crew on board, while the airliner contained 60 passengers and four crew members.
As of 6:45 a.m. ET, authorities had retrieved at least 30 dead, a law enforcement source told CBS News. The frigid water temperatures and dangerous conditions on the Potomac further complicate the bleak hunt.
According to the BBC, over 300 emergency personnel are putting in a lot of overtime despite the harsh conditions, which include low visibility, strong winds, and cold waters.
According to rescue professionals, the hostile climate significantly lowers survival chances because the cold shock response starts seconds after exposure. Divers have recovered luggage and debris from the crash site in addition to human bodies.
A dive crew has found one of the aircraft’s black boxes, but it’s still unclear if it’s the flight data recorder or the cockpit voice recorder. The plane’s debris is in 5 to 8 feet of water. The helicopter, however, is said to be mostly undamaged but upside down.
Regarding the examination of the planes’ flight paths, information from tracking websites indicates that the Black Hawk was descending along the Potomac River from the north, and the regional jet was descending steadily toward Reagan National Airport from the south.
Although airplanes have safety features that are intended to identify and stop collisions in midair, retired American Airlines pilot Doug Rice pointed out that the Traffic Collision Avoidance System (TCAS) is useless below 700 feet, which could have played a role in the accident.
A news organization told the tale of a guy whose wife was on board the aircraft when the disaster occurred in a separate update on the tragedy.
As Hamaad Raza waited for his wife to arrive at Reagan Washington National Airport, he was in the middle of messaging her when all of a sudden his messages stopped getting through.
When Raza learned that his wife’s flight from Wichita, Kansas, had collided with a helicopter in midair, a feeling of worry began to grow into dread.
Before his communications failed to arrive, Raza shared the final message his wife had sent him. “We’re landing in 20.” was the text. He tried to reply, but his SMS were not received, and that’s when he started to feel depressed. After little over two years of marriage, he is now extremely concerned about his 26-year-old wife.
“As we talk, I’m just hoping that someone is dragging her out of the water. I can only pray for that. “All I’m doing is praying to God,” Raza added. He revealed that the sad event was made much more devastating by the fact that his wife had always been afraid of flying and had come to Wichita for work. Raza works as a senior associate at the business consulting and services company EY-Parthenon.
He received his degree from John Burroughs School and attended Indiana University’s Kelley School of Business. More family members are traveling to Reagan Washington National Airport to obtain information about their loved ones, according to Larry Miller, a news anchor for WUSA 9-TV and the journalist who spoke with Raza.
John Donnelly, the chief of emergency medical services and fire for the District of Columbia, discussed the disaster, saying, “It’s a really complicated operation, and the conditions out there are really difficult for the responders. It’s chilly. The conditions they’re dealing with are really windy.
The three debris fields are strewn over the icy Potomac River, and as of this writing, searchers have not found any survivors.
According to sources, Trump described the accident as “a bad situation that looks like it should have been prevented” in a separate social media post, in addition to the photos he shared on Truth Social. It was unclear at first, though, if this post was based on official briefings or other information sources.
“May God bless their souls,” he continued. We appreciate the amazing work that our first responders are doing. I’m keeping an eye on things and will give further information as it becomes available.”
On social media, newly confirmed Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth said the Pentagon was keeping a close eye on the situation and was prepared to help if needed.
In a statement, Senator Roger Marshall of Kansas also voiced his condolences, describing the tragedy as “nothing short of a nightmare.” In the hopes that they would find fortitude in the face of such tragedy, he prayed for the victims and their families.
Alexandria, Virginia Mayor Alyia Gaskins posted condolences on social media. She thanked the local fire, police, and emergency forces for their efforts in supporting the regional response and said she would pray for those impacted. Just south of Reagan Washington National Airport is Alexandria.
In February 2009, a Continental Airlines flight from Newark, New Jersey, tragically crashed into a house near Buffalo, New York, while attempting to land. This was the last significant commercial aviation catastrophe in the United States.
Forty-nine persons were killed by the Bombardier Q400. As the current crisis develops, many are praying for the families of those confirmed dead and clinging to faith that there will be survivors.
