'There are no survivors' President Trump speaks on DC plane crash

Everyone aboard a deadly American Airlines flight that collided with an Army helicopter is believed to be dead.

The American Airlines jet had 60 passengers and four crew members. Three soldiers were aboard the helicopter. According to officials, the helicopter flew into the flight path of the plane while it was landing at the airport.

MORE: LIVE DC plane crash updates: No survivors expected after midair collision

"There are no survivors" President Trump speaks on DC plane crash

What we know:

11:21 a.m.: Trump entered the press room asking for a moment of silence for the victims. The president went onto provide updates on the search, switching to a recovery mission. "There are no survivors," he said.

"As one nation, we grieve for every precious soul that has been taken from us so suddenly," Trump said. He also noting that other nations are also grieving for foreign nationals from those countries who were also on the plane.

"We are in mourning."

He said the U.S. military and the National Transportation Safety Board is investigating.

"We’ll find out how this disaster occurred and will ensure that nothing like this ever happens again," he said.

The president said he was naming Chris Rocheleau, a 22-year FAA veteran, as acting commissioner to the Federal Aviation Administration.

"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," said Trump, noting that the program allowed for the hiring of people with hearing and vision issues as well as paralysis, epilepsy and "dwarfism."

Trump said air traffic controllers need to be geniuses.

"They have to be talented, naturally talented geniuses," he said. "You can’t have regular people doing their job. We will restore faith in American air travel."

In response to a reporter asking if DEI was to blame for the crash and what evidence he may have seen to support these claims, the president responded saying "It just could have been." 

"We have a high standard. We have had a much higher standard than anybody else. And there are things that you have to go by brain power, you have to go by psychological quality, and psychological quality is a very important element of it. These are various very powerful tests that we put to use, and they were terminated by Biden, and Biden went by a standard that is the exact opposite."

Trump went onto say that for an air traffic controller "we want the brightest, the smartest, the sharpest, we want somebody that is psychologically superior, and that's what we are going to have."

President Trump's initial statement on the DC plane crash

The backstory:

10:57 p.m.: President Trump thanked first responders for their "incredible work," in a statement, shortly after being briefed on the plane crash. 

"I have been fully briefed on the terrible accident which just took place at Reagan National Airport. May God Bless their souls," Trump said in a statement. "Thank you for the incredible work being done by our first responders. I am monitoring the situation and will provide more details as they arise."

The president also took to Truth Social to speculate on the cause of the crash: "The airplane was on a perfect and routine line of approach to the airport. 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? This is a bad situation that looks like it should have been prevented. NOT GOOD!!!"

MORE: DC plane crash timeline: What to know about the deadly crash

12:22 a.m.: Trump took to Truth Social early Thursday morning around 12:22 a.m., to respond to the tragic midair collision that happened in the air over Washington, D.C.

"The airplane was on a perfect and routine line of approach to the airport. 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," Trump wrote. "Why didn’t the control tower tell the helicopter what to do instead of asking if they saw the plane. This is a bad situation that looks like it should have been prevented. NOT GOOD!!!"

He followed that post with another that read, "What a terrible night this has been. God bless you all!"

The Source: Information in this article comes from the Associated Press and FOX 5 reporting.

DC Plane Crash InvestigationWashington, D.C.News