Trump’s politicization of the tragedy came as investigators warned they needed time to unpick how the Bombardier jet, operated by an American Airlines subsidiary, and an army Black Hawk helicopter could smash into each other late Wednesday.
A fireball erupted in the night sky and both aircraft tumbled into icy Potomac, leaving rescue crews with the grim, difficult task of searching for bodies in the dark and cold.
Trump, who took office 10 days ago, turned a press conference on the disaster into a platform for his crusade against diversity, equity and inclusion or DEI -- a series of often decades-old measures meant to combat racism and sexism across the United States.
The passenger plane was carrying 64 people and the Black Hawk had three aboard.
Reagan National is a major airport located a short distance from downtown Washington, the White House and the Pentagon. The airspace is extremely busy, with civilian and military aircraft a constant presence.
Trump opened his White House press conference by speaking of the nation’s anguish.
“He’s run it right into the ground with his diversity,“ Trump said.
Asked again by reporters whether he was blaming workplace diversity for the crash, Trump answered: “It could have been.”
“As families grieve, Trump should be leading, not lying,“ he said.
“He’s in charge. This happened on his watch,“ Murphy said.
- Skaters among victims -
The force of the collision soon made it clear that survivors were unlikely.
Transport officials said both aircraft were on standard flight patterns on a clear night with good visibility.
The federal investigation team deployed to the site cautioned that it will need time.
“We look at facts... and that will take some time,“ National Transportation Safety Board chair Jennifer Homendy said.
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