On Thursday (Jan. 30), Donald Trump delivered a speech from the White House press briefing room in the wake of a devastating mid-air collision over the Potomac River in Washington, D.C. The accident, which occurred late Wednesday (Jan. 29), involved a regional jet and a U.S. Army Black Hawk helicopter.

“I speak to you this morning in an hour of anguish for our nation,” Trump stated. He praised emergency responders for their swift action in launching a “massive search and rescue operation” and commended their efforts as “phenomenal.” “The work has now shifted to a recovery mission,” he confirmed regarding the 67 passengers involved. “Sadly, there are no survivors... We are in mourning. This has really shaken a lot of people.”

The president pledged support for the families of the victims and emphasized the need to determine the cause of the disaster. “We’re all searching for answers,” he said. “We do not know what led to this crash, but we have some very strong opinions and ideas. We’ll find out how this disaster occurred and ensure that nothing like this ever happens again.”

The head of state used the press conference to announce the immediate appointment of Christopher Rocheleau as acting commissioner of the Federal Aviation Administration. He also decided to criticize past administrations by linking the crash to diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) initiatives without any evidence.

“I put safety first. Obama, Biden, and the Democrats put policy first... We have to have our smartest people. It doesn’t matter what they look like, how they speak, who they are,” he expressed while skimming through past articles about his predecessors’ policies. When asked by a reporter how he reached the conclusion that DEI was a factor, he responded, “Because I have common sense.”

Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth provided additional details on the three soldiers aboard the Black Hawk, identifying them as a young captain, a staff sergeant, and a chief warrant officer who were undergoing “routine annual retraining” for a “continuity of government” mission. He acknowledged that a “mistake was made” and noted that investigators were examining “some sort of an elevation issue.”

Before leaving the podium, Hegseth echoed Trump. “The era of DEI is gone at the Defense Department,” he declared, calling the new hiring process “color-blind and merit-based.”