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

But within minutes, the “presidential” mirage dissolved. Trump unleashed an unusually appallingly rant, blaming the crash on Barack Obama, Joe Biden, former Transportation secretary Pete Buttigieg, DEI and people with disabilities.

The plane crash at DCA raised questions about recent leadership changes within the federal agencies charged with regulating air travel.

Trump said he didn't know what caused the crash but "we have some very strong opinions and ideas."

The president also blamed the Biden and Obama administrations for the overnight plane crash in Washington, D.C., where there have been no reported survivors.

The president implied that the crash was caused by the FAA's recruitment of people with "severe intellectual disabilities" and "psychiatric problems."

Trump on Thursday criticized hiring practices of his predecessor that promoted diversity, equity and inclusion.