A CNN commentator swiftly took down a post and apologized after suggesting that President Donald Trump was responsible for Wednesday’s aircraft collision in Washington D.C.
In a post on X, network contributor Bakari Sellers reasoned that “timing matters” in bringing up politics following a disaster—and that he might have done so too soon, while local emergency personnel are still actively searching for survivors.
The Federal Aviation Administration, American Airlines, and U.S. Army have all confirmed that a commercial American Airlines flight collided with an Army helicopter Wednesday evening at the Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport, prompting both aircraft to crash into the freezing waters of the nearby Potomac River.
![Emergency response units assess airplane wreckage in the Potomac River near Ronald Reagan Washington Airport on January 30, 2025 in Arlington, Virginia.](https://www.thedailybeast.com/resizer/v2/XZN5LTPQNVFKVB7R6GPPJAUOQU.jpg?auth=772dbf19c88a49a22f6fa3ce22d930948a03da4a4aebcc01a4ec888022633028&width=800&height=533)
Onboard the commercial flight were 60 passengers and four crew members. Meanwhile, three Army personnel were aboard the helicopter. An all-hands rescue effort has since ensued.
Around an hour after the collision was first reported, Sellers posted a screenshot of a news release from the House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure announcing a hiring freeze of air traffic controllers issued by Trump.
The article also included a statement from the committee’s ranking member Rick Larsen, who made clear the potential threat to aviation safety the freeze would have.
“8 days ago,” Sellers captioned the post, which he quickly took down.
“I deleted the post because timing matters,” Sellers wrote following backlash. “Politics at this point does not. I f***ed up, I own that. I am very prayerful but I’m also very frustrated upset and disturbed with where we are as a country. I recognize, and I will do better.”
“The only thing that matters is rescuing the survivors, and ensuring this never happens again,” he continued.