Trump to Kaitlan Collins: ‘That’s not a very smart question, especially coming from you’

In a tense exchange over the American Airlines jet that collided Wednesday with an Army helicopter, President Donald Trump called out CNN’s Kaitlan Collins for what he called “not a very smart question.”

On Thursday, Trump said there were no survivors after the jet with 60 passengers and four crew members aboard collided with the helicopter while landing at Ronald Reagan National Airport near Washington, D.C.

At least 28 bodies were pulled from the Potomac, officials said.

We don’t even yet know the names of the 67 people killed and you are blaming Dems and DEI policies and air traffic control and seemingly the member of the US military who was flying that Black Hawk helicopter,” Collins said. “Don’t you think you’re getting ahead of the investigation?”

“No, I don’t think so at all,” Trump said. “The names of the people that are on the plane, you think that is going to make a difference?”

“Does it comfort their families to hearing you blaming DEI?” Collins replied.

“They are a group of people who have lost their lives,” Trump continued. “If you want a list of the names, we will be giving that very soon. … That’s not a very smart question. I’m surprised coming from you.”

Trump has suggested that the Federal Aviation Administration’s diversity efforts had made air travel less safe.

He also suggested he might make sweeping changes at federal aviation agencies. There could firings “if we find that people aren’t mentally competent.”

The Associated Press contributed to this report.