Quotes
The district office of the medical examiner has the lead on reuniting these bodies and these people with their loved ones, and we will continue to work to find all the bodies and collect them and reunite them with their loved ones,
Donnelly said
The work has now shifted to a recovery mission. Sadly, there are no survivors,
Trump told a press conferenceWe are devastated by this unspeakable tragedy and hold the victims' families closely in our hearts,
U.S. Figure Skating was quoted by AP as saying in a statementThey found heavy wind. They found ice on the water and they operated all night in these conditions,
he saidWe are in mourning, this has really shaken a lot of people." ... We do not know what led to this crash, but we have some very strong opinions and ideas. We'll find out how this disaster occurred and we'll ensure that nothing like this ever happens again."
On Thursday, Trump held a moment of silence for the victims, telling the press ... But he moved on quickly, saying
When you look at what happened on a crystal clear night at one of the most sophisticated airports in the world, it's difficult not to draw the conclusion that this could've been prevented,
Mitchell saidInstead of simply stating that he didn't yet have all the information to decide what caused the crash, he injected politics into an already highly emotional situation,
Klink said
In the wake of a horrific tragedy like this, most public figures would simply help the country grieve and vow to investigate,
Bennett told NewsweekThe Democrats are just, as always, looking for trouble. They do nothing constructive, even in times of crisis. They don't want to blame their cash cow, China, for the plague. China is blaming Europe,
In the first months of the Covid pandemic, Trump repeatedly blamed China for the virus, tweeting remarks like ... on May 2, 2020.[It ... It]is why voters identify so well with him and with his leadership style,
Mitchell saidThe President needs to realize that the election is over, and while he wants to smash the status quo, which people who voted for him support, at this particular moment, Americans were looking for reassurance from the commander-in-chief that he and his new team, which isn't even complete, would get to the bottom of what caused the crash and enact changes to make sure that events like the crash are rare."
He continuedOn behalf of the First Lady, myself and 340 million Americans, our hearts are shattered alongside yours and our prayers are with you now and in the days to come, we will be working very diligently. My administration will set the highest possible bar for aviation safety. We have to have the smartest people -- it doesn't matter what they look like, how they speak, who they are."
He further said
Sadly, there are no survivors. This was a dark and excruciating night in our nation's capital and in our nation's history and a tragedy of terrible proportions as we grieve for every precious soul that has been taken from us so suddenly. This is really shaking a lot of people, including people from other nations."
Addressing a press briefing on the aviation disaster, Trump saidWe are now at a point where we're switching from a rescue operation to a recovery operation. At this point, we don't believe there are any survivors from this accident,
Donnelly said in a news conference on ThursdayI put safety first, Obama, Biden and the Democrats put policy first and they put politics at a level that nobody's ever seen. Their policy was horrible and their politics was even worse,
Trump saidI have been fully briefed on the terrible accident which just took place at Reagan National Airport. May God Bless their souls. 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.” ... What a terrible night this has been. God bless you all!”
He wrote ... He added
Tonight, as our first responders continue their efforts, we are sending our love and prayers to the families, loved ones, and communities who are experiencing loss during this terrible tragedy. We will provide our next briefing at 7:30AM at DCA. It will be live on this account.” ... As we continue to pray for all involved, we are grateful for the efforts of our first responders during this tragic event.”
She wrote ... She added
My heart goes out to those impacted by last night’s terrible tragedy. I pray for those who so sadly lost their lives, their families & loved ones, & the first responders who have worked tirelessly through the night. May they find strength and solace in this difficult time,
First Lady Melania Trump expressed her condolences as she wrote ... on ThursdayAbsolutely tragic. Search and rescue efforts still ongoing. Prayers for all impacted souls, and their families. Investigation launched immediately by Army & DoD.”
He wrote on XThe 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,
he wrote on Truth Social