President Donald Trump began his White House briefing with a moment of silence and a prayer for the victims of Wednesday’s crash at Reagan National Airport.

The president implied that the crash was caused by the FAA's recruitment of people with "severe intellectual disabilities" and "psychiatric problems."

But within minutes, the “presidential” mirage dissolved. Trump unleashed an unusually appallingly rant, blaming the crash on Barack Obama, Joe Biden, former Transportation secretary Pete Buttigieg, DEI and people with disabilities.

Trump posted his thoughts on the collision between American Airlines Flight 5342 and the Black Hawk Sikorsky H-60 helicopter on his Truth Social account.

The plane crash at DCA raised questions about recent leadership changes within the federal agencies charged with regulating air travel.

Democrats harshly criticized President Donald Trump for a news conference Thursday in which he said that his predecessors and diversity were to blame for Wednesday night’s fatal collision of an Army helicopter and an American Airlines passenger plane landing at Ronald Reagan National Airport.

Trump said he didn't know what caused the crash but "we have some very strong opinions and ideas."

Disability and civil rights advocates criticized Trump for implying the plane crash could be connected to government diversity programs.