Trump Blames Outdated Air Traffic Control for Deadly Crash Near DC

President Donald Trump attributed the recent deadly collision between a passenger jet and an Army helicopter to what he described as an 'obsolete' air traffic control system during a speech at the National Prayer Breakfast. The crash, which occurred on January 29, resulted in the deaths of all 67 individuals aboard both aircraft. Initially blaming diversity hiring programs for the incident, Trump later shifted his focus to the outdated technology used by air traffic controllers, advocating for a complete modernization of the system. He criticized past investments aimed at renovating the existing infrastructure instead of developing a new one. Aviation experts expressed confusion over Trump's comments, noting that his references to using a foreign system for landing were unclear, as all aircraft in the U.S. utilize the federal air traffic control system. The FAA has been working on upgrading the system through its NextGen program since 2007, despite facing various challenges.