Trump Fuels Crazy D.C. Plane Crash Theories With Insult to Army Pilots
Though little is known about the collision, the president said it could have been prevented.

AFP via Getty Images
President Donald Trump had more questions than answers in his first social post following a mid-air collision between a passenger plane and a Black Hawk helicopter Wednesday night outside of Washington, D.C.
The president had earlier confirmed via the White House that he been briefed on the situation, which saw a U.S. Army Black Hawk helicopter collide with American Eagle Flight 5342, sending both careening into the frigid waters of the Potomac River near Reagan Washington National Airport.
Though no officials have confirmed fatalities, dozens are believed to be dead and emergency services were on scene throughout the night battling the freezing temperatures to rescue or recover the 67 individuals in the air at the time.
Shortly after Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt confirmed that Trump had been briefed, the president took to Truth Social to wildly speculate about the situation.
— Karoline Leavitt (@PressSec) January 30, 2025
“The airplane was on a perfect and routine line of approach to the airport,” Trump said. “The helicopter was going straight at the airplane for an extended period of time. It is a CLEAR NIGHT, the lights on the plane were blazing, why didn’t the helicopter go up or down, or turn. Why didn’t the control tower tell the helicopter what to do instead of asking if they saw the plane.”
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“This is a bad situation that looks like it should have been prevented,” Trump continued. “NOT GOOD!!!”
Trump wasn’t the only one throwing weird questions out to the public at a time when very little is known about the incident.
Billionaire Bill Ackman took conspiracy theories to the extreme, claiming that the collision “sounds more like terrorism than an accident.”
How does an incredibly maneuverable military helicopter fly into a regional aircraft by accident with all of the sensors and warning devices designed to prevent an accident like this one?
— Bill Ackman (@BillAckman) January 30, 2025
It sounds more like terrorism than an accident. Perhaps an expert on Blackhawks can weigh… https://t.co/iTUQ6UzAzl
A senior FBI official with the Washington field office told NBC News, however, that there seems to be no indication that the crash was an act of criminality or terrorism.
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In a press conference late Wednesday evening, D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser said authorities needed more time to focus on the rescue and recovery efforts: “All we can confirm tonight is the number of people on each aircraft. We can’t provide any more information on recovery efforts.”
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