made an awkward joke about the site of the .
The US President shrugged off suggestions he will visit the site of the carnage, near Ronald Reagan National Airport, where an plane and a military helicopter . Both aircraft plunged into the icy Potomac River, which has been at the heart of a search and rescue operation today.
Speaking at a press conference, Mr Trump, 78, said: "I have a plan to visit – not the site. Because what – you tell me. What's the site? Water. We're going to go swimming?"
The sick joke came as and questioned the actions of a US Army helicopter pilot involved in the midair collision. Trump also complained the commercial aircraft and Black Hawk helicopter were both at the "same height" in the moments before the smash, which .
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Sixty-seven people are believed to have died in the crash, which occurred while a flight from Wichita, Kansas, was landing at the busy airport. First responders continue to recover bodies from the Potomac River.
Officials have not yet to formally establish the causes of the collision, and Mr Trump himself acknowledged that it was too soon to draw conclusions as he encouraged the country to pray for the victims. However, he quickly moved to engage in speculation and political attacks, at a moment when Americans traditionally look to the presidency for comfort, assurance and facts.
Speaking in the same press conference at the White House, the politician said he blamed diversity initiatives "because I have common sense, and unfortunately a lot of people don’t." He continued: "We want the most competent people. We don’t care what race they are."
Pete Buttigieg, who served as the US secretary of transportation from 2021 to 2025 under the previous government, blasted the President's comments. Describing the remarks as "despicable", he said on X: "As families grieve, Trump should be leading, not lying."
The deadly plane crash was the first major disaster of Mr Trump's new term. Yet his handling of it so far has rawn further criticism from other politicians, notably Democrats. Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer of New York said: "It’s one thing for internet pundits to spew off conspiracy theories, it’s another for the president of the United States."
