Trump Faces Backlash for Joking About Visiting D.C. Air Crash Site During Press Conference

President Donald Trump deflected a question about visiting the site of a catastrophic mid-air collision with a quip about swimming, sparking mixed reactions during a press conference in Washington, D.C., on Thursday, January 30. The president instead focused his remarks on the role of diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) policies at the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), linking them to the tragic accident, according to Daily Mail.

The crash, which occurred on the night of January 29, involved an American Airlines flight carrying 60 passengers and four crew members and a U.S. Army Black Hawk helicopter with three soldiers on board. Both aircraft collided at the same altitude before plunging into the Potomac River near Reagan National Airport.

By late Thursday afternoon, more than 40 bodies had been recovered, according to CNN. During the press conference, Trump was asked if he was aware of any performance issues or disciplinary actions involving air traffic controllers at Reagan National Airport that could have played a role in the accident.

“No,” Trump replied. When pressed about whether he planned to visit the crash site, where rescue teams were still searching for bodies and debris, Trump made light of the question. “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?” he said.

Despite dismissing the idea of visiting the Potomac, Trump assured that he would be meeting with the families of some of the victims. “I will be meeting with some people that were very badly hurt, with their family member, obviously, but I’ll be meeting with some of the families,” he added.

In the wake of the deadly accident, Trump signed an executive order appointing an acting FAA commissioner and directing the transportation secretary to roll back DEI policies. White House staff secretary Will Scharf outlined the directive, stating it called for an “immediate assessment of aviation safety in light of the damage done to aviation safety by the Biden administration’s DEI and woke policies.”

The new acting FAA administrator has been tasked with ensuring that FAA employees are “only the most outstanding, capable people for the jobs that they’re being hired into,” Scharf added. Trump also dismissed concerns that a government-wide email offering paid resignation “buyouts” to two million federal workers would negatively impact the FAA, which employs approximately 50,000 people.

Online reactions to Trump’s remarks were divided. Some criticized the president for his seemingly dismissive response, while others defended his decision not to visit the site. One user wrote, “Trump’s response seems pretty dismissive, almost joking about the situation. It’s definitely a curious way to handle a serious question, sounds like he didn’t take the reporter’s concern seriously.”

Another countered, “Right, what’s the point of visiting a horrific wreckage site in a river? Terrible idea. I sometimes wonder how these people get their jobs!” As investigations into the crash continue, Trump’s comments have added another layer of debate to an already tragic event.