Trump paused hiring of critical ATCs days before Washington crash
What's the story
An American Airlines jet with 60 passengers and four crew members collided with a military helicopter near the Ronald Reagan National Airport in Washington, DC, on Wednesday. CBS News reported that 18 bodies have been recovered, but there is no official update on casualties. Reports have now emerged that President Donald Trump made sweeping changes in the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), which is also responsible for disaster prevention and management, days before this crash.
Policy changes
Trump's recent DHS overhaul under scrutiny after crash
On Tuesday, Trump cut short the terms of the heads of the Transportation Security Administration and the Coast Guard. He also disbanded a key aviation security advisory group and froze the hiring of air traffic controllers. The decision contradicts the bipartisan FAA Reauthorization Act of 2024, which mandates hiring the maximum number of air traffic controllers, the House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure said.
Presidential response
Trump questions crash prevention measures on Truth Social
In the wake of the incident, President Trump said he believed the collision "should have been prevented." On Truth Social, he asked why the helicopter didn't avoid the plane and why air traffic control didn't intervene more effectively. "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. This...looks like it should have been prevented. NOT GOOD!!!"
Crash details
FAA confirms midair collision, search operation underway
The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) confirmed that a PSA Airlines Bombardier CRJ700 regional jet collided midair with a Sikorsky H-60 (Black Hawk) helicopter around 9:00pm local time. A search-and-rescue operation is currently underway in the Potomac River to locate victims. At least 18 bodies have been recovered from the crash site, according to CBS News citing a police official. The exact cause of the collision remains unknown.