President Donald Trump defended his comments questioning whether diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) policies played a role in the disastrous aircraft collision above the nation's capital that killed 67 people.
Trump, speaking to reporters in the White House briefing room late Thursday morning, highlighted efforts by the Biden administration to lower aviation standards, though he acknowledged that the cause of Wednesday night's crash has yet to be determined.
CNN host Kaitlan Collins objected to Trump's rhetoric, calling him out for "blaming Democrats and DEI policies and air traffic control and seemingly the member of the U.S. military who was flying that Black Hawk helicopter."
She went on to ask, "Don't you think you're getting ahead of the investigation right now?"
TRUMP ATTACKS DEI POLICIES AFTER DC PLANE CRASH, SAYS FAA EMPLOYEES MUST BE HELD TO 'HIGHEST STANDARDS'
"No, I don't think so at all. I don't think, with the names of the people, you mean the names of the people that are on the plane?" Trump asked. "You think that's going to make a difference? They are a group of people that have lost their lives. If you want a list of the names, we can give you that, we will be giving that very soon. We're in coordination with American Airlines. We're in coordination very strongly, obviously, with the military."
The president told the news personality, "I think that's not a very smart question, I'm surprised, coming from you."
An American Airlines jet carrying 60 passengers and four crew members collided with a military Black Hawk helicopter carrying three service members on Wednesday night in the skies above Washington D.C., causing wreckage from both aircraft to plunge into the Potomac River. There were no survivors.
The tragic incident has sparked a national conversation about flying safety in the United States.
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Earlier in the press conference, Trump noted that he had raised the qualification standards for air traffic controllers during his first administration, but he said President Joe Biden had lowered them once he left office.
"The FAA is actively recruiting workers who suffer severe intellectual disabilities, psychiatric problems, and other mental and physical conditions under a diversity and inclusion hiring initiative spelled out on the agency's website," Trump said.
