Former President Biden issues statement following deadly air collision in DC
Former President Joe Biden said Thursday that he and his wife Jill “are praying for the families of the victims who tragically lost their lives in the plane and helicopter crash near DCA.
“We are immensely grateful to the brave first responders and emergency personnel on the scene,” he added.
All 67 passengers, crew members and soldiers onboard both aircraft are presumed dead.
First lady Melania Trump offered her condolences to those who lost their lives in the horrific plane crash near Reagan National Airport on Wednesday.
“My heart goes out to those impacted by last night’s terrible tragedy,” the first lady said in a statement Thursday morning. “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.”
Tragedy struck late Wednesday when an American Airlines plane collided midair with an Army helicopter, destroying both aircraft in a fiery explosion. There were 64 people aboard the plane, including crew members, and three U.S. soldiers on the Black Hawk helicopter.
First responders working in the freezing Potomac River have recovered at least 27 bodies from the plane wreckage and one from the helicopter.
President Donald Trump is expected to speak at a press conference in the White House briefing room at 11:00 a.m. ET to provide an update on recovery operations and the investigations into the crash.
Reagan National Airport in Arlington, Va., has now reopened following the
deadly midair collision last night between an American Airlines passenger jet and Army Black Hawk helicopter.
“All airport roads and terminals are open. Some flights have been delayed or cancelled, so passengers are encouraged to check with their airline for specific flight information,” the airport wrote on X.
An American figure skater was barred from the American Airlines flight that collided with a U.S. Army helicopter near Reagan International Airport on Thursday night.
Jon Maravilla told Russia’s Sputnik he was not allowed on the flight because his dog was too big to board. He said he ultimately decided to make the 14-hour drive back from Wichita, Kansas, to Washington, D.C. He also mentioned the issue on his personal Instagram account.
Maravilla told RIA Novosti that there were “about 14 figure skaters on the plane, not counting their parents and coaches,” according to The New York Times.
“Such a tragedy,” he added.
Virginia Gov. Glenn Youngkin told Fox News on Thursday that first responders switching from a rescue to recovery mission was “heart wrenching.”
“It’s been a tragically horrific night. The notice this morning that all teams had shifted from rescue to recovery is just heart wrenching. And it is heart wrenching for the families that I know were expecting a loved one to be home with them last night,” he added.
“We had just the most extraordinary response last night with first responders coming from all over, the Coast Guard was on the scene immediately,” Youngkin continued. “And first responders from all over Northern Virginia and D.C. and Maryland along with federal resources. It was like something no one had seen before here at DCA.
“And this morning the same intensity is being delivered in order to recover every lost life and reunite them with their families,” he also said.
“Something went massively wrong,” according to Youngkin. “We have got to find out what went wrong and make sure it never happens again.”
President Donald Trump will hold a press briefing to discuss the plane disaster in Washington, D.C., at 11:00 a.m. ET in the White House briefing room, press secretary Karoline Leavitt said Thursday.
Trump was previously briefed on the disaster late Wednesday after an American Airlines plane collided midair with an Army Black Hawk helicopter at Reagan National Airport.
“May God bless their souls,” Trump said of the 60 passengers and four crew members aboard the plane, as well as three soldiers on the helicopter. He also thanked first responders and said he will continue to monitor the situation as it develops.
Nearly 300 first responders are engaged in recovery operations in the Potomac River. There are believed to be no survivors of the crash. Authorities have withheld the names and identification of the victims until their next of kin are first notified.
Earlier, Trump said the collision “should have been prevented,” noting that the skies were clear Wednesday night.
The Wednesday night collision of a commercial American Airlines flight and a Black Hawk helicopter in Washington, D.C., was a “needless loss of life,” and aviation rules may have been violated, according to aviation attorney Bob Clifford.
Clifford is the lead counsel representing families of victims involved in a 2019 Boeing 737 Max 8 crash that killed 157 persons in Ethiopia from Chicago.
“This morning President Trump came out and talked about how preventable it was that it should never have occurred, and that’s true,” Clifford told Fox News Digital. “Here in this particular airport in our nation’s capital, there’s an intersection and convergence all the time between civil and military aircraft. So, yes, it’s surprising to some folks that a military aircraft is anywhere near a commercial airport. But that’s common in D.C., especially at Reagan, because you have the forts right across the Potomac.”
He added that there are “very strict rules about how those aircraft should interact with each other,” and it appears “those rules may have been violated.”
“It’s obviously too soon to tell, though the finger-pointing is beginning already, when you have the CEO of American Airlines pointing this fingers at the air traffic controller and the helicopter and their communications,” Clifford said. “So there will be but there’s plenty of time for all of that, but certainly this was a needless loss of life.”
Clifford noted that audio from the air traffic controller appears to show an official giving the Black Hawk directions, first asking if the pilot sees the commercial aircraft and then telling the pilot to pass behind that aircraft, but there is no response before the crash.
“That’s why there’s been criticism of the of this night operation for the military that maybe the military shouldn’t be anywhere near Reagan Airport at night when they’re dealing with the visual issues of darkness and maybe even fog or other things,” Clifford explained. “… A lot of things to look at here, but we know it was a preventable loss of life, and it should not happen in this country.”
Doug Zeghibe, the CEO of the Skating Club of Boston, said Thursday that six of its members died in the midair collision last night between the American Airlines plane and military helicopter near Reagan National Airport in the Washington, D.C. area.
Zeghibe said 14 skaters were returning home from a national development camp in Wichita, Kan., and six of them belonged to his organization.
Two of the members were coaches who were former world pair champions and two were teenagers. Mothers of the athletes died as well, he added.
Zeghibe described the skating community as tightly knit.
Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth
provided an update on the Army helicopter that collided midair with an American Airlines jet late Wednesday, revealing the Black Hawk was on a training flight.
“At about 8:48 last night, a UH60, assigned to the U.S. Army Aviation Brigade in the military district of Washington, Fort Belvoir, Virginia, collided tragically with a civilian airliner,” Hegseth told reporters Thursday.
“The Army unit involved was with Bravo Company, 12th Aviation Battalion at Fort Belvoir. It was an annual proficiency training flight.”
Hegseth declined to identify the three soldiers aboard the helicopter until next of kin have been notified.
“We do know on our side who was involved. It was a fairly experienced crew, and that was doing a required annual night evaluation. They did have night vision goggles,” the defense secretary added.
Hegseth said the Defense Department is actively investigating the incident.
“It’s a tragedy, a horrible loss of life for those 64 souls on that civilian airliner. And of course, the three soldiers in that Black Hawk. They’re in our prayers, their families and their communities as people are notified. I can’t imagine and I know it’s it’s gone from a rescue mission to a recovery mission.”
The mayor of Wichita, Kan., said Thursday that the flight from her city to Ronald Reagan Airport near Washington, D.C. started “just a year ago.”
That route was the one the American Airlines plane was taking Wednesday night when it collided with a military helicopter. All 67 onboard both aircraft are presumed dead.
“It was January 8th, 2024,” Wichita Mayor Lily Wu said. “The first flight, included Congressman Estes and Senator Moran, who took that first flight from Wichita to Washington, D.C.
“We were very honored to have gotten that flight and continue to advocate for those nonstop flights out of our community,” she added. “So again, this is a true tragedy and one that this council and myself want all of our community members to know that our hearts are heavy. They’re also grieving. And we will provide the support that we can to those who have been affected.”
Rep. Ron Estes, R-Kan., said Thursday that “This is such a tragic day for our community.
“So many of us will be touched by people that we know, directly or indirectly, that were victims of this tragedy that happened,” he said.
“We have such, steep, history, of being involved in aviation and, being a close-knit community like we are. It’s going to have consequences for years to come,” Estes added.
Wichita Mayor Lily Wu became emotional Thursday as she expressed sorrow for those that died on American Airlines Flight 5342 after the plane collided with an Army helicopter shortly before landing at Ronald Reagan National Airport in Washington, D.C.
“Our hearts are heavy as a city,” Wu said at a news conference in Wichita, Kansas, where the flight departed on Wednesday.
“At this time, we have been told there are no survivors. We mourn with all those who have been impacted. This is a terrible tragedy that will unite those in Washington, D.C., and Wichita, Kansas, forever.”
There were 60 passengers and four crew members aboard the American Airlines jet when it collided in midair with an Army Black Hawk helicopter at around 9 p.m. on Wednesday. Three soldiers were inside the helicopter. None are believed to have survived.
Wu said first responders in D.C. have recovered more than two dozen bodies from the frigid waters of the Potomac River.
“We do not know yet final confirmation on all of the individuals who were on that flight. And of course, we will share that information, but not before families have been first contacted,” the mayor said.
Air Traffic Control (ATC) audio from Wednesday’s collision between an Army Black Hawk helicopter and an American Airlines jet reveals the moments before and after controllers witnessed the disaster unfold.
In the air traffic control audio, a controller can be heard directing American Airlines Flight 5342 to take Runway 33.
The AA pilot confirms he can take Runway 33 and is clear to land the aircraft, a PSA Airlines Bombardier CRJ700 regional jet, referred to as “CRJ.”
The controller then instructs the helicopter, an Army UH-60 helicopter Sikorsky UH-60 helicopter, referred to as “PAT25,” to pass behind the jet.
About 40 seconds later ground traffic control alerted the tower.
“Tower Did you see that?”
“Yup we saw it,” someone from the tower says, and then the controllers begin the process of frantically diverting the flights.
“Everybody hold your positions on the field right now,” a female controller says.
“Fire command. The accident happened in the river. Both the helicopter and the plane crashed in the river… he approached into Runway 33,” she says.
First responders honored the flag draped remains of an unidentified victim recovered after the deadly crash involving an American Airlines jet and an Army helicopter at Reagan National Airport in Washington, D.C., FOX 5 reported.
The jet was carrying 60 passengers and four crew members Wednesday night when it collide in midair with the helicopter, which carried three soldiers. Nearly 300 first responders are conducting recovery operations in the Potomac River as there are believed to be no survivors.
At the time of the crash, Reagan National Airport reported clear skies, visibility of 10 miles and winds sustained out of the northwest at 16 mph, gusting to 26 mph. The temperature at the time was 50 degrees.
The Army told Fox News Digital that the UH-60 Black Hawk helicopter, carrying three soldiers, was “from Bravo Company, 12th Aviation Battalion, out of Davison Army Airfield, Fort Belvoir” and was conducting a “training flight.”
Multiple federal agencies are investigating.
The U.S. Army has started notifying the families of the three soldiers on the Black Hawk helicopter that collided with an American Airlines plane near Reagan National Airport last night.
A senior defense official told Fox News that the crew was “fairly experienced” and had night vision goggles onboard the helicopter.
Military investigators are looking into the incident, the official added.
Fox News’ Lucas Tomlinson contributed to this report.
The U.S. airspace is the safest in the world, an aviation expert said following the fatal collision at Reagan National Airport.
“It was the perfect storm of events that happened last night,” aviation expert Kyle Bailey told Fox News Digital.
The former Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) safety team representative likened the crash to walking outside and being struck by lightning. He noted that it was “unfair to cast blame at this early stage.”
“The U.S. military runs an incredible aviation operation,” he said. “But distractions do happen, and all humans make errors.”
An investigation into how an American Airlines jet carrying dozens of passengers and an Army Black Hawk helicopter collided midair at Reagan National Airport
near Washington, D.C., will likely involve communication between the two aircraft, Sen. Mike Rounds, R-S.D., said Thursday morning.
“What we’re seeing right now is what happens if you have a lack of communication or a misunderstanding,” Rounds, who serves on the Senate Intelligence Committee, told “Fox & Friends First.”
Rounds said that investigators will look at everything that happened during the flight, including potential mechanical breakdowns and avionic system failures, but he believes much of the discussion surrounding the collision will focus on communication between the aircraft and whether that communication was accurate.
“I’m sure there will be some second guessing, but I suspect that when everything is done and the dust settles the chances are really good that they’ll talk about a lack of communication between the aircraft,” Rounds said.
Secretary of Transportation Sean Duffy said Thursday that “We are going to wait for all the information to come in from this vantage point” following the deadly midair collision between an American Airlines passenger jet and a military helicopter last night near Reagan National Airport in the Washington, D.C. area.
“But to back up what the president said
and what I’ve seen so far, do I think this was preventable? Absolutely,” he added.
The Department of Homeland Security is not concerned that the deadly collision between an American Airlines flight and Army Black Hawk helicopter Wednesday had anything to do with terror, a DHS source tells Fox News.
There are “no terror concerns” and the indication is the incident is “just a tragedy,” the source said.
Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy told reporters Thursday that both the American Airlines plane and Army helicopter were in a “standard flight pattern” when they tragically collided in midair.
First responders have located the wreckage of both aircrafts, Duffy said. The fuselage of the American Airlines plane was inverted and located in three different sections in the freezing cold Potomac River, in waist deep water.
Authorities are engaged in recovery operations Thursday morning as there are not believed to be any survivors. There were 64 souls aboard the American Airlines plane and three soldiers on the Army helicopter.
Secretary of Transportation Sean Duffy said Thursday that “everything was standard in the lead up to the crash.
“Now obviously something happened here,” he said. “You’ll get more information and more details as this investigation moves forward. We’ll learn what happened.”
Metropolitan Washington Airports Authority CEO Jack Carter said Thursday that “Unfortunately, we weren’t unable to rescue anyone.
“But we are in the recovery mode right now,” he added, noting that Reagan National Airport will reopen at 11 a.m. ET.
“It’s safe. We’ve worked with all the federal agencies, FAA. And you know, it’s been determined that we can open that airport safely,” Carter added. “The recovery effort that’s on our property is on the waterfront. Our primary runway, 119, will be open. It’s away from any activity.”
American Airlines CEO Robert Isom said Thursday that the midair collision involving one of his airlines’ passenger jets and a military helicopter is “devastating.”
“We’re absolutely heartbroken for the family and loved ones of the passengers and crew members, and also for those that were on the military aircraft,” he said. “Our focus right now is doing everything that we can to support all of those involved, and also the PSA Airlines team. This is devastating. It’s, we are all hurting incredibly.
“Here’s what I can share at this early stage. American Air American Eagle Flight 5342, operated by PSA Airlines, traveling from Wichita, Kansas
to Reagan National Airport, was involved in an accident just before 9 p.m. local time,” Isom also said. “On final approach into Reagan National, it collided with a military aircraft on an otherwise normal approach. At this time, we don’t know why the military aircraft came into the path of the PSA aircraft.”
“We urge any family and friends looking for information about their loved ones to call our designated helpline,” Isom said. “And that’s at 1-800-679-8215.”
John Donnelly, Chief of the District of Columbia Fire Department, said Thursday that “we don’t think there are any survivors from this accident.”
“We have recovered 27 people from the plane and one from the helicopter,” he added.
“Despite all these efforts, we are now at a point where we are switching from a rescue operation to a recovery operation,” he also said.
“The district office of the medical examiner has lead on reuniting these bodies and these people, with their loved ones,” Donnelly continued. “And we will continue to work to find all the bodies and collect them and reunite them with their loved ones.”
There were 60 passengers and four crew members onboard the American Airlines passenger jet, and three soldiers onboard the military helicopter.
Secretary of Transportation Sean Duffy said Thursday that “We have located the two aircrafts, the fuselage of the American Airline plane was inverted.
“It’s been located in three different sections. It’s in about waist deep water,” he added.
” The helicopter was in a standard pattern. If you live in the DC area, you’ll see helicopters up and down the river. This flight pattern is seen oftentimes when you live in DC. This was a standard flight pattern last night as well,” Duffy continued. “The American Airlines flight coming in to land was in a standard flight pattern as it was coming into DCA.”
Washington, D.C. Mayor Murial Bowser also said “I speak for all of us when I say, and certainly all Washingtonians, how, very sad we are for American Airlines, for the United States Department of Defense and for all Americans, for the loss of life that happened with the collision of these aircrafts.
”This morning, we all share in a profound sense of grief. I do want to thank the first responders who acted quickly last night, who ran towards danger, went into a very frigid river, and have worked throughout the night,” she added.
National Security Advisor Michael Waltz told Fox News that more than 30 bodies have been recovered from the waters of the Potomac River following the midair collision between an American Airlines passenger jet
and a military helicopter.
Waltz said first responders in local and federal government are engaged in an “all hands on deck” response to the deadly incident.
“God bless those coastguardsmen and those rescuers, those park police that are down in those frigid waters,” Waltz said. “They’re doing everything they can to make sure we don’t have a fuel spillage, and they’ve recovered now over 30 bodies.”
At a press conference Thursday morning, D.C. fire chief John Donnelly placed the number of bodies recovered slightly lower at 27 from the plane and one from the Army helicopter.
Authorities believe there are no survivors.
“We will continue to work to find all the bodies and collect them and reunite them with their loved ones,” Donnelly said.
The Army said the Black Hawk helicopter involved in the midair collision near Reagan National Airport was “performing a training mission.”
“While performing a training mission a United States Army UH-60 Blackhawk helicopter from Bravo Company, 12th Aviation Battalion, Davison Army Airfield, Fort Belvoir, Va., collided in midair with an American Airlines Bombardier CRJ700 regional jet Flight 5342 last night at Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport. The FAA, NTSB and the United States Army will investigate,” Ron McLendon II, the Deputy Director of Joint Task Force-National Capital Region/United States Army Military District of Washington Public Affairs, told Fox News.
“The FAA, NTSB and the United States Army will investigate. The NTSB will lead the investigation,” he added. “We are working with local officials and will provide any additional information once it becomes available.”
Nearly 300 first responders are searching the Potomac River Thursday morning following last night’s midair collision between an American Airlines passenger jet and military helicopter near Reagan National Airport.
Multiple boats could be seen in the Potomac River as the sun rose this morning.
The American Airlines plane involved in the incident was operated by PSA airlines, a subsidiary of American Airlines.
The collision in the Washington, D.C.
area unfolded around 9 p.m. local time.
Russian and U.S. figure skaters were on board an American Airlines flight that collided with an Army helicopter while landing at Ronald Reagan National Airport near Washington, D.C., on Wednesday night.
Russian figure skaters Evgenia Shishkova and Vadim Naumov, who won a pairs title at the 1994 world championships and competed at the Winter Olympics twice, were among the passengers on the plane, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters on Thursday.
“Unfortunately, we see that this sad information is being confirmed. There were other fellow citizens there. Bad news today from Washington. We are sorry and send condolences to the families and friends who lost those of our fellow citizens who died in the plane crash,” he said.
The International Skating Union said it was “deeply shocked” over the incident.
Washington, D.C. Mayor Murial Bowser and other officials will hold a press conference at 7:30 a.m. ET Thursday at Reagan National Airport.
“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,” she wrote on X.
The airport remains closed until 11 a.m. this morning following the nearby collision last night between an American Airlines passenger jet and an Army helicopter.
“Due to an emergency situation, Reagan National Airport is currently closed,” reads a message being displayed at screens inside the airport’s terminal 1. “Passengers, please see your airline representatives for additional information.”
A video appears to have captured the collision between the American Airlines passenger jet and an Army Black Hawk helicopter Wednesday night near Reagan National Airport.
The footage shows a fireball lighting up the skies in Washington, D.C. during the moment of impact.
Sixty passengers and four crew members were onboard the passenger jet, while three soldiers were inside the helicopter.
The Army says the helicopter was conducting a training flight in the area when the incident happened.
Nearly 300 first responders are now searching the Potomac River following the collision.
There has been an outpouring of lawmakers asking people to join them in praying following the mid air collision between an airplane and a military helicopter.
Among them was House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., who noted in a post on X, “I’m deeply saddened to learn about the horrific tragedy at Reagan National Airport. Please join me in praying for everyone involved as well as our first responders.”
“As we learn more information, please join me in praying for everyone involved in tonight’s crash at DCA,” Rep. Michael Cloud, R-Texas, noted in a tweet.
“I’m praying for all those affected by the devastating plane crash in DC tonight. My heart goes out to the families of those onboard. As we await more information, please join me in praying for the first responders on the scene as they conduct search and rescue operations,” Rep. Steve Womack, R-Ark., noted in a post.
Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau commented on the midair collision involving a military helicopter and an airplane in the U.S. on Wednesday night.
“We’re all extremely concerned about the accident at Reagan National Airport. As we wait for more details, my thoughts are with those on board, their loved ones, and the first responders right now,” the foreign leader said in a post on X.
Rep. Eric Swalwell, D-Calif., said in a post on X that he had just landed at the DCA airport on a flight from Houston’s George Bush Intercontinental Airport (IAH) shortly before the collision between an airplane and a military helicopter at DCA.
“I landed at DCA this evening at 8:42pm, IAH—DCA, minutes before an in-flight collision over the airport,” the congressman noted on Wednesday night. “My thoughts are with all involved and their families. Hoping first responders find survivors.”
“Several members” of U.S. Figure Skating were on the American Airlines flight that collided with a military helicopter
near Reagan Washington National Airport late Wednesday, Fox News has learned.
The flight came days after the U.S. Figure Skating Championships which were held in Wichita from Jan. 20 to Jan. 26.
“U.S. Figure Skating can confirm that several members of our skating community were sadly aboard American Airlines Flight 5342, which collided with a helicopter yesterday evening in Washington, D.C.” U.S. Figure Skating said in a statement. “These athletes, coaches, and family members were returning home from the National Development Camp held in conjunction with the U.S. Figure Skating Championships in Wichita, Kansas.”
“We are devastated by this unspeakable tragedy and hold the victims’ families closely in our hearts. We will continue to monitor the situation and will release more information as it becomes available.”
The Army and Pentagon are investigating the collision, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth said.
Hegseth wrote that the investigation was “launched immediately.”
“Absolutely tragic. Search and rescue efforts still ongoing. Prayers for all impacted souls, and their families,” he wrote on X.
Federal and local officials held a press conference early Thursday morning to provide updates about the collision involving American Eagle Flight 5342 near Washington, D.C.
D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser and Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy
were both present. Speaking at the podium, D.C. Fire and EMS Chief John A. Donnelly said that 300 responders were working on investigating the crash and retrieving victims from the scene of the crash in the Potomac River.
“This is a state and federal response as well,” Donnelly explained. “The U.S. Coast Guard has got some boats in the water as well. So it’s a highly complex operation.”
“The conditions out there are extremely rough for the responders. They’re dealing with, relatively, windy conditions and wind is hard, out on the river. So they’re out there working. We’re keeping doing everything we can to keep them safe.”
The National Transportation and Safety Board (NTSB) has launched a “go-team” to the collision site.
The agency investigates transportation accidents and incidents and typically releases a report on its findings.
CEO Robert Isom provided an update regarding American Airlines flight 5342 before departing to Washington, D.C. early Thursday morning.
Isom says the aircraft was operated by PSA airlines, a subsidiary of American Airlines. He went on to express his concerns about the events taking place and that the company is now focusing on the needs of those involved, the first responders and their loved ones.
He also went on to say he knows there are many questions and that although he can’t answer all of them at this time, they are working to get those questions answered and he will continue to provide updates. He said that it is important they report accurate information because they owe that to everyone involved.
“Flight 5342
was under the command of 4 crew members and carried 60 passengers for a total of 64 people on board. We are actively working with local state and federal authorities on emergency response, efforts and the American Airlines care team has been activated to assist our passengers and their families,” said Isom.
“We’re cooperating fully with the national transportation safety board in its investigation and will continue to provide all the information we can. Our cooperation is without pause, and we want to learn everything we can about today’s events. That work will take time, but anything we can do now, we’re doing and right now, that means focusing on taking care of all passengers and crew involved as well as their families, members of our go team will be on their way to Washington D. C, and I’ll be heading there shortly as well,” he added.
American Airlines has set up a special helpline that friends and family can call at 1 800 679 8215 if you believe you’ve had friends or family on board the flight.
President Donald Trump
aired his thoughts about Wednesday night’s plane collision near Reagan National Airport in a candid Truth Social post.
Writing early Thursday morning, Trump said that the crash “should have been prevented,” and expressed concern over the incident.
“The airplane was on a perfect and routine line of approach to the airport,” Trump wrote. “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!!!”
Vice President JD Vance
took to social media Wednesday night to address the collision at Reagan Washington National Airport between a military Black Hawk helicopter and an American Airlines jet and to pray for those involved.
“Please say a prayer for everyone involved in the mid-air collision near Reagan airport this evening. We’re monitoring the situation, but for now let’s hope for the best.”
White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt posted to X Wednesday night with an official statement from President Donald Trump.
“I have been fully briefed on the terrible accident which just took place at Reagan National Airport.,” the statement read.
American Eagle Flight 5342 was inbound from Wichita, Kansas.
Fox News’ Gabriele Regalbuto contributed reporting.
American Airlines is encouraging anyone who thinks they may have had a loved one on board Flight 5342 to call their hotline.
“If you believe you may have loved ones on board Flight 5342, call American Airlines toll-free at 800-679-8215,” the airline said in a statement. “Those calling from outside the U.S. can visit news.aa.com for additional phone numbers. Family members in Canada, Puerto Rico or the U.S. Virgin Islands can call 800-679-8215 directly.”
The airline confirmed that American Eagle Flight 5342 en route from Wichita, Kansas (ICT), to Washington, D.C. (DCA) was involved in a mid-air accident at DCA.
There were 60 passengers and four crew members on board the aircraft.
“Our concern is for the passengers and crew on board the aircraft. We are in contact with authorities and assisting with emergency response efforts,” the airline said.
The Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport will be closed until 11 a.m. Thursday, officials said.
The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) originally said the airport would be closed until 5 a.m. Friday.
However, officials announced the earlier re-opening during a news conference.
The temperature in the Potomac River was 37 degrees on Wednesday night, as search and rescue operations were ongoing.
American Eagle Flight 5342 had 60 passengers and four crew members on board.
Shortly before the collision, air traffic controllers at Reagan National Airport asked the pilots of the military helicopter if they had the arriving regional jet in sight, according to an audio recording.
After the transmission, the controller gives the helicopter permission to pass behind the jet.
The helicopter pilots acknowledge that the regional jet is in sight and that they will “maintain visual separation,” according to the audio recording.
The two aircraft collide shortly after the tower controller’s radio call.
A pilot from another aircraft is heard saying, “Tower, did you see that?”
The air traffic controller is then heard frantically diverting other arriving aircraft away from the airport.
FOX Businesses’ Matthew Kazin contributed to this post.
Lawmakers across the U.S. expressed sympathy and grief after a passenger plane collided with a military helicopter near Reagan National Airport in the Washington, D.C. area on Wednesday night.
A PSA Airlines Bombardier CRJ700 regional jet operating as an American Airlines flight collided in midair with a Sikorsky H-60 helicopter approaching Reagan National Airport in Washington, D.C. around 9 p.m. local time, according to the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA). The flight left Wichita, Kansas, earlier that day.
The passenger flight was carrying 60 people, but officials have not confirmed the exact number of injuries and fatalities. Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth, who started work on Monday, said that he was aware of the incident in a post on X.
This is an excerpt from an article written by Fox News’ Andrea Margolis
Kansas Governor Laura Kelly took to X to express her condolences and speak about the active investigation of those involved in a midair collision with a regional jet and military Black Hawk Wednesday night.
“I am aware that a plane inbound from Wichita
was involved in a crash at Reagan National Airport. I am actively in contact with authorities. My thoughts go out to those involved. I will share more information as it becomes available,” Kelly posted.
Secretary of the Department of Homeland Security Kristi Noem posted to X Wednesday night regarding the crash between an Army Black Hawk helicopter and an American Airlines jet at Reagan National Airport in Washington, D.C.
“We are deploying every available US Coast Guard resource for search and rescue efforts in this horrific incident at DCA. We are actively monitoring the situation & stand ready to support local responders,” Noem wrote.
“Praying for the victims and first responders.”
Fox News’ Gabriele Regalbuto contributed reporting.
Rescue efforts underway concentrated near Woodrow Wilson Memorial Bridge for mid-air collision
involving a PSA Airlines Bombardier CRJ700 regional jet and Army UH-60 helicopter Sikorsky UH-60 helicopter while on approach to Runway 33 at Reagan Washington National Airport around 9 p.m. local time.
Flight 5342 for American Airlines had 60 passengers and four crew on board the flight that collided.
The FAA and NTSB are investigating, according to a statement released by the FAA.
American Airlines took to X following a crash between a PSA Airlines Bombardier CRJ700 regional jet and a Sikorsky H-60 helicopter.
The official account read, “We’re aware of reports that American Eagle flight 5342, operated by PSA, with service from Wichita, Kansas (ICT) to Washington Reagan National Airport (DCA) has been involved in an incident. We will provide information as it becomes available.”
Fox News’ Gabriele Regalbuto contributed reporting.
The Wednesday night collision at Reagan National Airport in Washington, D.C. marked the first time there has been a crash involving a U.S. commercial flight since 2009.
Colgan Air Flight 3407, a flight from Newark, New Jersey, to Buffalo, New York, stalled and crashed during landing approach near Buffalo Niagara International Airport on Feb. 12, 2009. The plane slammed into a house.
All 45 passengers and 4 crewmembers were killed at the time.
White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt posted a statement from President Donald Trump to X Wednesday night.
“I 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.”
Three soldiers were onboard the Blackhawk that collided with an American Airlines jet on Wednesday evening at Reagan National Airport in Washington, D.C., Fox News’ Jennifer Griffin confirmed.
The aircraft collided with a Sikorsky UH-60 Black Hawk helicopter.
The Sikorsky UH-60 Black Hawk is a four-blade, twin-engine, medium-lift utility military helicopter, which can carry 15 people, including two pilots, two crew chiefs and two rescue specialists.
Sen. Roger Marshall, R-Kans., said in a post on X that he had seen reports of a collision with a D.C. helicopter and an inbound flight from Wichita, Kansas.
“We are in contact with authorities working to get answers,” Marshall wrote. “We ask you to join us in prayer for every single passenger and their families.”
Marshall later wrote that the aircraft was carrying roughly 60 passengers when it collided with the military helicopter.
“My prayer is that God wraps his arms around each and every victim and that he continues to be with their families. There are no words that can make telling this story any easier,” he wrote. “I ask the world to join me in praying for Kansas this evening, the first responders, rescue crews, and all those involved in this horrific accident. I have been in contact with local and national authorities asking for answers and will continue to demand more information on how this unfolded.”
This is an excerpt from an article written by Fox News’ Greg Wehner.
Search and rescue efforts are underway after a military Black Hawk helicopter collided with a regional jet near Reagan National Airport in Washington, D.C. Wednesday night.
White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said President Donald Trump is aware of the situation, adding that it “tragically appears a military helicopter collided with a regional jet.”
All flights were halted. The DC Fire and EMS Department confirmed in a post on X that an aircraft went down in the Potomac River vicinity near Reagan National Airport, adding that fireboats were on the scene.
The Washington D.C. Police Department posted on X that it was responding to an apparent air crash in the Potomac River, adding that multiple agencies were responding.
Video of the scene shows numerous emergency crews responding.
One video posted to X and captured from the webcam at the Kennedy Center caught what appeared to be a midair explosion near the Potomac River.
This is an excerpt from an article written by Fox News’ Greg Wehner.
US figure skater says he was barred from doomed flight that collided with helicopter
An American figure skater was barred from the American Airlines flight that collided with a U.S. Army helicopter near Reagan International Airport on Thursday night.
Jon Maravilla told Russia’s Sputnik he was not allowed on the flight because his dog was too big to board. He said he ultimately decided to make the 14-hour drive back from Wichita, Kansas, to Washington, D.C. He also mentioned the issue on his personal Instagram account.
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“Not allowed past gate to board flight,” he wrote in one post. “Get me tf out of Kansas please.”
He added, “14 hour journey begins.”
Maravilla told RIA Novosti that there were “about 14 figure skaters on the plane, not counting their parents and coaches,” according to The New York Times.
LIVE UPDATES: MILITARY HELICOPTER COLLIDES WITH AIRCRAFT NEAR REAGAN NATIONAL AIRPORT
“Such a tragedy,” he added.
At least 60 people were aboard the American Airlines flight.
U.S. Figure Skating did not confirm the number of members of its organization on the plane.
“U.S. Figure Skating can confirm that several members of our skating community were sadly aboard American Airlines Flight 5342, which collided with a helicopter yesterday evening in Washington, D.C.,” the organization said. “These athletes, coaches, and family members were returning home from the National Development Camp held in conjunction with the U.S. Figure Skating Championships in Wichita, Kansas.
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“We are devastated by this unspeakable tragedy and hold the victims’ families closely in our hearts. We will continue to monitor the situation and will release more information as it becomes available.”
Hegseth shares details on Black Hawk chopper training flight
Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth addressed the American people following the deadly collision involving an American Airlines plane and an Army helicopter outside Reagan National Airport. Hegseth says the crash occurred while the Black Hawk was on an annual proficiency training flight.
“We do know on our side who was involved. It was a fairly experienced crew, and that was doing a required annual night evaluation,” Hegseth said in a video statement obtained exclusively by Fox News. “We anticipate that the investigation will quickly be able to determine whether the aircraft was in the quarter at the right altitude at the time of the incident.”
“It’s a tragedy, a horrible loss of life for those 64 souls on that civilian airliner. And of course, the three soldiers in that Black Hawk. They’re in our prayers, their families and their communities as people are notified,” Hegseth added.
On Wednesday, around 9:00 PM local time, the FAA issued a ground stop at Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport after a military helicopter with three soldiers collided with a civilian airplane carrying 60 passengers and four crew members.
In a press conference on Thursday morning, DC Fire and EMS Chief John A. Donnelly announced nearly 30 bodies had been recovered from the scene of the collision so far. At this time, authorities do not believe there are any survivors, Donnelly added.
“We have recovered 27 people from the plane and one from the helicopter,” he added. “Despite all these efforts, we are now at a point where we are switching from a rescue operation to a recovery operation.”
AMERICAN AIRLINES CEO EXPRESSES ‘DEEP SORROW’ AFTER MIDAIR COLLISION
DC Mayor Muriel Bowser thanked first responders for working in a “very frigid” river through the night in what started as a search and rescue mission, which is now a recovery mission.
Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy, who was sworn-in hours before the collision, vowed to get answers on behalf of the collision victims’ families and the American people. Duffy noted that the collision occurred on a clear night and that both the airplane and helicopter were in “standard” patterns.
“Safety is our expectation. Everyone who flies in American skies expects that we fly safely, that when you depart an airport, you get to your destination. That didn’t happen last night,” Duffy said. Duffy believes that the evidence so far indicates that the collision could have “absolutely” been prevented.
AMERICAN FIGURE SKATER SAYS HE WAS BARRED FROM FLIGHT THAT COLLIDED WITH ARMY HELICOPTER
In a blunt Truth Social post, President Donald Trump called the crash “a bad situation that looks like it should have been prevented.”
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Shortly after the collision, Vice President JD Vance urged people to “say a prayer for everyone involved.”
Anti-Trump FBI agent involved in opening elector case against president: whistleblower
EXCLUSIVE: WASHINGTON—A previously identified anti-Trump FBI agent allegedly broke protocol and played a critical role in opening and advancing the bureau’s original investigation related to the 2020 election, tying President Donald Trump to the probe without sufficient predication, whistleblower disclosures obtained by Sen. Chuck Grassley revealed.
That investigation into Trump was formally opened at the FBI on April 13, 2022, and was known inside the bureau as “Arctic Frost,” Fox News Digital has learned.
EX-FBI OFFICIAL WHO SHUT DOWN HUNTER BIDEN LINES OF INVESTIGATION VIOLATED HATCH ACT WITH ANTI-TRUMP POSTS
Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Chuck Grassley and Permanent Subcommittee on Investigations Chairman Ron Johnson shared internal FBI emails and predicating documents — legally protected whistleblower disclosures — exclusively with Fox News Digital.
The senators say the documents prove the genesis of the federal election interference case brought against Trump began at the hands of FBI Assistant Special Agent in Charge Timothy Thibault.
Fox News Digital exclusively reported in 2024 that Thibault had been fired from the FBI after he violated the Hatch Act in his political posts on social media. Previous whistleblowers claimed that Thibault had shown a “pattern of active public partisanship,” which likely affected investigations involving Trump and Hunter Biden.
Grassley first publicly revealed the existence of the whistleblower disclosures during the Senate Judiciary Committee’s confirmation hearing for Trump’s nominee to serve as FBI director, Kash Patel, on Thursday.
One email, obtained and reviewed by Fox News Digital, revealed Thibault communicating with a subordinate agent on Feb. 14, 2022.
Thibault said: “Here is draft opening language we discussed,” and attached material that would later become part of Special Counsel Jack Smith’s elector case.
Another email, sent by Thibault on Feb. 24, 2022, to a prosecutor in the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia, John Crabb, states: “I had a discussion with the case team and we believe there to be predication to include former President of the United States Donald J. Trump as a predicated subject.”
Sources told Fox News Digital, though, that Thibault took the action to open the investigation and involve Trump, despite being unauthorized to open criminal investigations in his role — only special agents have the authority to open criminal investigations.
Another email, sent on the same day, notes that he would seek approval from Attorney General Merrick Garland and FBI Director Christopher Wray to open the case.
Next, an email on Feb. 25, 2022, sent by a subordinate agent, Michelle Ball, to Thibault states that they added Trump and others as a criminal subject to the case.
Thibault responded: “Perfect.”
The fifth email, reviewed by Fox News Digital, reveals Thibault emailing a version of an investigative opening for approval. However, this email did not include Trump as a criminal subject.
The sixth email, from April 11, 2022, shows Thibault approving the opening of Arctic Frost, and the next email, on April 13, 2022, was from an FBI agent to Thibault stating that the FBI deputy director approved its opening.
Another email reviewed by Fox News Digital shows Thibault emailing DOJ official John Crabb notifying him that the elector case was approved.
Crabb responded, “Thanks a lot. Let’s talk next week.”
“Between March 22 and April 13, other versions of the document opening the investigation existed, because a ninth email shows that the FBI General Counsel’s office made edits on March 25,” Grassley said during Patel’s confirmation hearing Thursday. “Was Trump still removed as an investigative subject? If so, which Justice Department and FBI officials – other than Jack Smith – later added him for prosecution?”
The email records appear to show that an official in the Justice Department’s Public Integrity Section, Richard Pilger, reviewed and approved the FBI’s Arctic Frost investigation, authorizing DOJ to move forward with a full field criminal and grand jury investigation that ultimately transformed into Special Counsel Jack Smith’s Trump-elector case.
Grassley, in 2021, published a report which raised concerns regarding Pilger’s record at DOJ.
Fox News Digital first reported in July 2022 thatGrassley warned Attorney General Merrick Garland that Thibault and Pilger were “deeply involved in the decisions to open and pursue election-related investigations against President Trump.”
GRASSLEY PRESSES DOJ, FBI FOR TRANSPARENCY ON ‘PARTISAN’ POLITICIZATION OF AGENCIES, HUNTER BIDEN PROBE
At the time, whistleblowers told Grassley that the Thibault-Pilger investigation’s predicating document was based on information from “liberal nonprofit American Oversight.”
In the investigation’s opening memo sent to the upper levels of the DOJ for approval, however, whistleblowers claimed Thibault and Pilger “removed or watered-down material connected to the aforementioned left-wing entities that existed in previous versions and recommended that a full investigation — not a preliminary investigation — be approved.”
Based on Smith’s scope memo, Grassley and Johnson, in 2022, wrote that the Thibault-Pilger investigation was included in the special counsel’s jurisdiction.
They also pointed out that Smith had a prior relationship with Pilger. Smith was in charge of the DOJ’s Public Integrity Unit while Pilger was in charge of the Election Crimes Branch.
Grassley and Johnson, in 2022, began sounding the alarm that Special Counsel Jack Smith was “overseeing an investigation that was allegedly defective in its initial steps and an investigation which his former subordinate [Pilger] was involved in opening.”
Former Attorney General Merrick Garland appointed Smith, a former Justice Department official, as special counsel in November 2022.
Smith, a former assistant U.S. attorney and chief to the DOJ’s public integrity section, led the investigation into Trump’s retention of classified documents after leaving the White House and whether the former president obstructed the federal government’s investigation into the matter.
HOUSE WEAPONIZATION PANEL RELEASES 17,000-PAGE REPORT EXPOSING ‘TWO-TIERED SYSTEM OF GOVERNMENT’
Smith also was tasked with overseeing the investigation into whether Trump or other officials and entities interfered with the peaceful transfer of power following the 2020 presidential election, including the certification of the Electoral College vote on Jan. 6, 2021.
Smith charged Trump in both cases, but Trump pleaded not guilty.
The classified records case was dismissed in July 2024 by U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Florida Judge Aileen Cannon, who ruled that Smith was unlawfully appointed as special counsel.
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Smith charged Trump in the U.S. District Court for Washington, D.C., in his 2020 election case, but after Trump was elected president, Smith sought to dismiss the case. Judge Tanya Chutkan granted that request.
Grassley, during the confirmation hearing on Thursday, said he is requesting “the production of all records on this matter to better understand the full fact pattern and whether other records exist.”
The FBI declined to comment.
Bill Gates makes big admission about big tech’s shift to the right
Billionaire Microsoft founder Bill Gates revealed he was surprised by Silicon Valley’s shift to the right during an interview published Thursday.
“I always thought of Silicon Valley as being left of center,” Gates told the New York Times. “The fact that now there is a significant right-of-center group is a surprise to me.”
Gates, who backed former Vice President Kamala Harris in the 2024 election, met with President Donald Trump after he won and said the president was receptive to the issues he brought up.
He added, “I will engage this administration just like I did the first Trump administration as best I can.”
BILL GATES SAYS ULTRA-WEALTHY WOULD ‘HAVE A THIRD AS MUCH’ IF HE CREATED TAX SYSTEM
The Times reported that Gates gave $50 million to Future Forward, the “principle outside funding group” that supported Harris.
“Incredible things happened because of sharing information on the internet,” Gates said, before addressing Facebook and Twitter’s roles in society. “You see ills that I have to say I did not predict.”
Gates spoke to the Wall Street Journal about his meeting with the president, and said he left the meeting impressed.
“I felt like he was energized and looking forward to helping to drive innovation,” Gates told WSJ. “I was frankly impressed with how well he showed a lot of interest in the issues I brought up.”
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The big tech CEO presence at Trump’s inauguration surprised members of the press, as MSNBC host Rachel Maddow questioned, “How is this happening? Why are people with tons of money up on the dais with Cabinet nominees and family members?”
Apple CEO Tim Cook was seated next to Trump’s pick for Homeland Security, Kristi Noem. Amazon, owned by Jeff Bezos, and Meta, donated a million dollars to Trump’s inaugural events.
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Vice President JD Vance said during an interview on Sunday that big tech was still on notice.
“We believe fundamentally that Big Tech does have too much power, and there are two ways they can go about this. They can either respect Americans’ constitutional rights — they can stop engaging in censorship, and if they don’t, you can be absolutely sure that Donald Trump’s leadership is not going to look too kindly on them,” Vance told CBS News’ Margaret Brennan.
Brennan pressed Vance on whether they still planned on breaking up big tech.
Cold-blooded killers scramble as Trump severs lifeline to halt reign of terror
As the United States beefs up security at its southern border as part of the Trump administration’s illegal immigration crackdown, the State Department has issued the highest-level travel advisory for a specific region of northeastern Mexico near McAllen and Brownsville, Texas.
Amid gun battles, kidnappings and other crime, the State Department is also warning of IEDs on dirt roads in the Mexican state of Tamaulipas.
“[T]he state of Tamaulipas has issued a warning to avoid moving or touching improvised explosive devices (IEDs), which have been found in and around the area of Reynosa, Rio Bravo, Valle Hermoso, and San Fernando along dirt and secondary roads,” a State Department travel advisory for Tamaulipas reads. “IEDs are being increasingly manufactured and used by criminal organizations in this region.”
The U.S. Consulate in Mexico notes in the advisory that an IED destroyed an official Mexican government vehicle in Rio Bravo on Jan. 23, injuring its occupant.
A Spanish flier published by the Tamaulipas government on Facebook urges the public not to touch or move suspicious-looking devices along the roadside.
MEXICO DENIES ACCESS TO LAND FOR US DEPORTATION FLIGHT AFTER MISCOMMUNICATION, STATE DEPT. OFFICIAL SAYS
U.S. government employees are prohibited from traveling “in and around Reynosa and Rio Bravo outside of daylight hours and to avoid dirt roads throughout Tamaulipas,” the advisory states.
Government employees also cannot travel between cities in Tamaulipas using interior Mexican highways.
“Travel advisory Level 4 is the highest level there is,” said former DEA Senior Special Agent Michael Brown, currently the global director of counter-narcotics technology at Rigaku Analytical Devices. “That’s a warning: Do not go there. I have experienced that, but it was in countries like Pakistan, Afghanistan, Iran, Somalia. … The area we’re talking about is the state of Tamaulipas, within which you have Reynosa and Matamoros, which have a history of extreme violence in Mexico.”
“[W]ith the sudden end of the Biden-Harris open-border policies, the cartels are no longer making billions of dollars in human trafficking.”
Brown said that what he suspects is happening is “with the sudden end of the Biden-Harris open-border policies, the cartels are no longer making billions of dollars in human trafficking.”
“Now that area has been reduced significantly, meaning cartels, which may have been working together up to a week ago, are now competing for access to Reynosa and Matamoros because human smuggling is not going to stop, it’s just going to be more expensive, more dangerous, and they’re going to have to use traffickers, are going to have to use more selective routes in order to get around Border Patrol and … perhaps U.S. military.”
The 32-year former DEA agent added that cartels using IEDs “are simply mimicking what they’ve seen other hostile elements do across the world … to counter other cartel movements, truck convoys, human traffickers that may be trying to sneak on to their territory.”
“The cartels were given carte blanche access to the United States through the open-border system.”
“[U]nder the last four years of the Biden-Harris administration, nothing was done. The cartels were given carte blanche access to the United States through the open-border system. Now that’s been cut off, and they’ve been designated as terrorist organizations,” Brown said.
‘NATIONAL EMERGENCY’: TRUMP DECLARES AMBITIOUS ILLEGAL IMMIGRATION CRACKDOWN IN INAUGURAL ADDRESS
The State Department has issued a Level 4 advisory for the area due to crime and kidnapping threats. Travelers are encouraged to avoid dirt roads, unknown objects near roads and travel after dark.
“Common” organized criminal activity in the area includes gun battles, murder, armed robbery, carjacking, kidnapping, forced disappearances, extortion and sexual assault.
The recent immigration policy changes affecting cartel networks’ financial success also pose a significant threat to Americans, U.S. law enforcement and military members living or stationed near the border, Brown said.
“As cartel members … come across theborder with narcotics for human trafficking. Now they’re armed and they’re ready for conflict. They run into Border Patrol, they run into the Texas Rangers or DEA. There could be a gunfight,” Brown said. “So if you’re a citizen living on that border, you know that that Level 4 just doesn’t stop [the violence], and we know it’s going to cross the border with those trafficking individuals.”
Of the millions of illegal immigrants who crossed into the United States over the last four years, “[E]ach one of those migrants had to pay a toll to a cartel or to smaller groups,” Brown said. “So we’re talking about billions of dollars for the last four years with absolutely no effort whatsoever on the part of the cartels.”
TRUMP GOES TOE-TO-TOE WITH SANCTUARY CITIES OVER DEPORTATION AS ILLEGAL IMMIGRATION CRACKDOWN SET TO BEGIN
The State Department noted in its advisory that heavily armed criminal groups often target certain areas and target “public and private passenger buses, as well as private automobiles traveling through Tamaulipas, often taking passengers and demanding ransom payments.”
The Level 4 warning comes as the Trump administration begins its crackdown on illegal immigration and crime at the U.S.-Mexico border.
Brown compared the level of violence in Tamaulipas to the Middle East.
“We think of the Middle East as extremely violent, wouldn’t want to go there, but all we have to do is look towards Mexico.”
“[It] wasn’t that long ago before [the] Sinaloa Cartel was executing police officers and hanging them from bridges,” Brown said. “Now, we didn’t even see that level of violence in Afghanistan when I was there. So, the cartels have taken violence to a whole other level. They are acting just like any terrorist organization. The only difference is their end goal is to make money. That’s their ideology.”
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Officials deported around 2,000 illegal immigrants to Mexico last Thursday, both on the ground and in the air. Mexican officials detained roughly 5,000 migrants within its borders, Fox News reported.
Trump also ordered 1,500 active-duty troops to the southern border to boost the military presence there.