President Donald Trump began his White House briefing with a moment of silence and a prayer for the victims of Wednesday’s crash at Reagan National Airport.

"Not only are the President’s claims untrue, they also speak to the Republican Party’s desire to divide us as a country."

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

Disability and civil rights advocates criticized Trump for implying the plane crash could be connected to government diversity programs.