President Donald Trump began his White House briefing Thursday with a moment of silence and a prayer for victims of Wednesday's crash at Reagan National Airport. But his remarks quickly became a diatribe against diversity hiring and his allegation — so far without evidence — that lowered standards were to blame for the

President Donald Trump blamed diversity hiring at the Federal Aviation Administration for Wednesday night’s deadly midair collision in Washington, D.C. — days after his new administration banned diversity, equity and inclusion efforts across the federal government, including at the FAA.

Jessica Tarlov knocked the president for leaning on "one message" during his press briefing on the deadly midair collision.

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