WASHINGTON – The deadly airline crash at Washington’s airport – the first U.S. passenger plane disaster since 2009 – became the first significant challenge for President Donald Trump’s new administration. It occurred on Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy’s inaugural day in office.

“Safety is our expectation,” Duffy told reporters on Thursday morning after the crash. “Every passenger flying in American airspace expects safety, that when you leave an airport, you reach your destination. That didn’t happen last night, and I know President Trump, his team, the FAA, and the DOT – we will not stop until we have answers for the families and the public.”

Duffy, who has no background in transportation or managing large agencies, quickly took action by heading to the airport and taking part in two press conferences within 12 hours of the 8:48 p.m. ET crash.

Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy speaks to the media after American Eagle flight 5342 collided with a Black Hawk helicopter while approaching Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport and crashed into the Potomac River, Washington, on Jan. 30, 2025.

Authorities believe there were no survivors after an American Airlines flight, carrying 64 people, crashed into a U.S. Army helicopter near Reagan Washington National Airport and fell into the cold waters of the Potomac River.

Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, a former Army Reserve and National Guard infantry officer with no managerial experience, said in a video message that special investigators would determine whether the Army helicopter was operating within its designated air corridor and altitude during the crash. He explained the pilots were conducting their annual night flying training with night-vision goggles.

“We are actively investigating what occurred and why,” Hegseth said.

Donald Kettl, a University of Maryland professor emeritus and author of a book on government competency, told USA TODAY weeks before the crash that Trump selected his administration’s appointees based more on loyalty than their experience in policy and governance. He warned that this could pose risks in how they carry out their duties.

Both Hegseth and Duffy now face the task of investigating the crash, ensuring accountability, and restoring public confidence in air travel safety.

“For large and especially sensitive agencies, the stakes are high,” Kettl noted. “Disaster is always one misstep away. The lack of experience increases the danger.”

Emergency messages were displayed on screens at Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport after an American Airlines plane with 64 passengers collided with an Army Black Hawk helicopter on Jan. 29, 2025.

Trump: ‘Crash is NOT GOOD!!!’

President Trump issued a statement two hours after the crash, saying he had been fully briefed and thanked first responders.

“I am monitoring the situation and will provide more updates as they come in,” he said.

Trump later posted questions about the crash on Truth Social, asking why the helicopter hadn’t moved out of the way of the airliner despite the clear night conditions.

“Why didn’t the control tower tell the helicopter what to do instead of asking if they saw the plane?” Trump wrote. “This is a bad situation that seems like it could have been avoided. NOT GOOD!!!”

U.S. airspace is the safest in the world: Duffy

Fatal airline crashes have been rare for any administration in recent decades.

The last U.S. airliner crash occurred in February 2009, when a Colgan Air flight crashed near Buffalo, New York, killing 50 people during a snowstorm. An Asiana Airlines flight from Seoul to San Francisco crashed in July 2013, striking a seawall and killing three passengers while injuring almost 200.

“I can tell you with complete confidence that we have the safest airspace in the world,” Duffy stated.

Duffy clarified that both the American airliner and the helicopter were flying in typical patterns around the busy airport on a clear night.

“If you live in the D.C. area, you see helicopters flying along the river regularly,” Duffy said. “This was not an unusual occurrence with military aircraft flying over the river and planes approaching the airport.”

Emergency responders search the crash site of the American Airlines plane on the Potomac River after the crash while approaching Reagan National Airport on January 30, 2025, in Arlington, Virginia.

FAA air-traffic controller staffing raises concernsL

awmakers have expressed concerns about the busy air traffic at Reagan National Airport, surrounded by the Potomac River, with limited space for aircraft to maneuver.