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Washington — President Trump is speaking in the White House press briefing room Thursday morning in the aftermath of the deadly plane crash in the Potomac River in Washington, D.C. The collision of a regional jet and a U.S. Army helicopter late Wednesday was the first major commercial plane crash in the U.S. in more than a decade.

The briefing comes after American Eagle Flight No. 5342, which took off from Wichita, Kansas, with 60 passengers and four crew members on board, collided Wednesday night with an Army Black Hawk helicopter carrying three soldiers near Reagan National Airport in Washington, D.C. 

Search efforts are continuing Thursday morning, but officials say no survivors are expected to be found. The efforts switched from a rescue operation to a recovery mission overnight, officials said. 

Mr. Trump said in a statement Wednesday night that he had been fully briefed on the crash. "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," his statement said.

He later took to Truth Social, questioning why the collision occurred under what appeared to be typical conditions. 

"This is a bad situation that looks like it should have been prevented," Mr. Trump said. "NOT GOOD!!!"

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