Washington plane crash: Donald Trump launches bizarre tirade

Conspiracy theorists are sharing a wild claim that the Black Hawk helicopter which collided with a commercial airliner in Washington on Wednesday did so as it rehearsed a classified nuclear evacuation drill for former President Donald Trump.

A total of 67 people – 64 on American Airlines flight 5342 and three on the Black Hawk – are feared dead after the accident, which occurred over the Potomac River at about 9pm.

Despite no evidence to support the speculation, it has gained traction on social media, leading to heated debates over the true purpose of the military aircraft’s presence.

Investigations are ongoing, with no confirmed link to any presidential security operation. However, sceptics have suggested the helicopter was engaged in a covert exercise designed to simulate an emergency extraction of Mr Trump in the event of a nuclear attack.

Such theories have been fuelled by the presence of military personnel in the area and unverified claims that the helicopter was carrying top-secret evacuation equipment.

READ MORE: China building £200bn wartime command centre ten times the size of the Pentagon

Potomac

Emergency response units conduct search and rescue operations in the Potomac. (Image: GETTY)

Some have even pointed to Mr Trump’s own comments following the incident as potential evidence of a larger plot.

Speaking to reporters, the former president called the crash a “terrible tragedy” and extended condolences to those affected, emphasising that there had been no survivors.

However, he added: “The military is always preparing for worst-case scenarios. It’s what they do.”

Without providing evidence, Trump blamed air traffic controllers, helicopter pilots and Democratic policies at federal agencies.

He claimed that the FAA was “actively recruiting workers who suffer severe intellectual disabilities, psychiatric problems and other mental and physical conditions under a diversity and inclusion hiring initiative”.

Plane collides with military helicopter outside US capital

A view of the scene after a plane collided with the Black Hawk on Wednesday (Image: Anadolu via Getty Images)

Peter Hegseth, the recently confirmed US Defence Secretary, said: “The military does dangerous things.

“It does routine things on a regular basis. Tragically, last night, a mistake was made.”

Posting on X, users claimed the tragedy was the result of a so-called Continuity of Government contingency, referring to a set of policies and procedures aimed at to ensuring essential Government functions continue after a catastrophic event duch as a nuclear attack or natural disaster.

One said: “What the hell were they doing in the tower? Why was a damn black hawk helicopter flying a COG training mission in civilian airspace on a Wednesday?”

US-POLITICS-TRUMP-AVIATION-ACCIDENT

US President Donald Trump takes questions during a briefing about the mid-air crash. (Image: AFP via Getty Images)

Another added: “If the Black Hawk indeed was on a COG mission, was there a weapon hidden on the plane that needed to be neutralised before it landed? The good of the many outweighing the good of the few…”

A third posted: “Continuity of government exercise can describe the large scale nuclear training. In other words training for what to do if it happened. Like designated survivor stuff.”

Others have even alleged the helicopter seemed to ‘chase’ the Bombadier plane as it came in for landing, comparing the scene to a “1970s-style assassination”.

Despite the unfounded allegations, there is no factual basis for the theory that the Black Hawk was engaged in any Trump-related operation. Aviation experts have dismissed such claims, with one former Pentagon official stating: “These kinds of training exercises are routine, but linking this crash to Trump is pure speculation.

US-POLITICS-TRUMP-AVIATION-ACCIDENT

US Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth. (Image: AFP via Getty Images)

“There’s no credible evidence to suggest that this was a nuclear evacuation drill.”

The US military has remained tight-lipped about the Black Hawk’s mission, stating only that it was conducting a “routine training exercise.”

At least 28 bodies have been pulled from the river so far after the helicopter apparently flew into the path of the American Airlines regional jet while it was landing at Ronald Reagan National Airport, just across the river from Washington, officials said on Thursday.

Fire chief John Donnelly said: “We are now at the point where we are switching from a rescue operation to a recovery operation.”

American Airlines CEO Robert Isom said the plane was making a normal approach when “the military aircraft came into the path” of the jet.

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *