Rescuers were still pulling bodies from the Potomac River as Trump cast blame on the FAA, the Army, diversity programs and his predecessors.

But within minutes, the “presidential” mirage dissolved. Trump unleashed an unusually appallingly rant, blaming the crash on Barack Obama, Joe Biden, former Transportation secretary Pete Buttigieg, DEI and people with disabilities.

He is out there blaming his predecessor, blaming women, blaming people of color—blaming anyone but himself,” says Chris Hayes on Trump’s response to the deadly plane crash on the Potomac River.

The collision involved a Bombardier CRJ700 regional jet operated by PSA Airlines and a military Black Hawk helicopter.

Trump repeatedly tried to tie diversity hiring practices to the crash during a briefing on Thursday as he also blamed the previous administration. “Are you saying this crash was somehow caused and the result of diversity hiring? And what evidence have you seen to support these claims?” a reporter asked Trump.

There is no evidence that diversity efforts played a role in the crash, and his statements disregarded his own administration’s hiring policies.

Disability and civil rights advocates criticized Trump for implying the plane crash could be connected to government diversity programs.

President Donald Trump began his White House briefing with a moment of silence and a prayer for the victims of Wednesday’s crash at Reagan National Airport