US President Donald Trump has come under fire for his sarcastic response when asked if he would visit the site of a deadly plane crash over the Potomac River in Washington, DC.
“You want me to go swimming?” Trump quipped during a White House press briefing on Thursday.
The crash, which occurred at Ronald Reagan Airport on Wednesday night, claimed the lives of all 67 people on board, according to authorities. Despite his dismissive remark, Trump confirmed he would meet with some of the victims’ families but did not provide a timeline.
“I have a plan to visit, not the site. Because you tell me, what’s the site? The water? You want me to go swimming?” he added, doubling down on his remarks.
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Reporter: Do you have any plans to visit the crash site? Trump: What's the site? Water? You want me to go swimming? pic.twitter.com/X3am52Vhtx
— jordan (@JordanUhl) January 30, 2025
Trump’s reaction quickly went viral, with many criticising his tone as insensitive.
“67 people die under his watch, and he makes a joke? Callous, heartless, completely lacking in empathy,” one user wrote. Another added, “We are such a profoundly unserious country sometimes.”
Trump blames Biden and DEI for mid-air crash
The controversy deepened as Trump signed an executive order titled “Immediate Assessment of Aviation Safety” shortly after making his remarks. During a press conference earlier in the day, he blamed Joe Biden and diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) programs for the crash—despite no official investigation supporting his claim.
“We want the most competent people,” Trump said. “We don’t care what race they are. We want the most competent people, especially in those positions.”
He added, “You're talking about extremely complex things, and if they don’t have a great brain, they’re not going to be very good at what they do, and bad things will happen.”
When pressed for evidence, Trump admitted there was none but insisted his claims were based on “common sense.”