9:58 AM PT — After President Trump personally called out Biden Admin Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg in a press conference about Wednesday night’s D.C. flight catastrophe, Buttigieg responded on X, noting some crucial details and prodding the president to “show actual leadership.”

Donald Trump says diversity, equity and inclusion hiring “could have been” to blame for the crash that killed 67 people over Washington, D.C. Wednesday … and, he’s placing the blame squarely on Democrats playing politics.

The 47th President of the United States addressed the assembled press corps Thursday morning in the White House’s briefing room … and, while he started with a prepared statement about the tragedy, he quickly went off the rails and started pointing to the FAA’s hiring policies as the reason … even as the incident is still early in its investigation.

As we told you, extremely tense audio reveals air traffic controllers warned the U.S. Army helicopter that fatally crashed into an American Airlines passenger plane moments before the catastrophe.

Trump says his administration does not yet know what caused the tragedy … but then adds he will present some opinions, including one where he straight-up calls out Joe Biden‘s Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg for having “a good line of bulls***.”

Sean Duffy — Trump’s new Secretary of Transportation — followed the political talking points … bashing diversity hiring and claiming his department won’t accept excuses for this tragedy. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth repeated much of the same. Vice President JD Vance also took the podium to reiterate similar points.

As you know … a passenger plane carrying 64 people — including multiple U.S. figure skaters — collided with a military helicopter with 3 troops onboard late Wednesday night — exploding above the Potomac River in the nation’s capital.

Despite the length of the White House press conference, officials still have not said exactly what caused the crash.

D.C. Fire Chief John Donnelly says the department doesn’t believe any of the passengers on the plane or the military personnel in the Black Hawk helicopter survived. Trump confirmed there were no survivors in his briefing.

Trump has already posted to social media about the crash … placing the blame on the helicopter and air traffic control for the crash — adding the plane was on a routine approach at the airport when the chopper hit it. He repeated these claims during the press conference.

“The Voice” alum Ryan Whyte Maloney fatally shot himself in Las Vegas over a heated argument with his fiancée about her jacket, according to the police report.

Cops say the incident began in the early morning Tuesday when Maloney — who was apparently drunk — got into it with his fiancée in their car after leaving the New York-New York Hotel and Casino.

Per the report, the fiancée told police they were driving home when she peppered Ryan with questions about whether he had her jacket.

The fiancée told cops she heard a gunshot and rolled down her window to yell for Ryan, but he had already taken off on foot.

Cops say the fiancée heard a second shot as she ran after Ryan and watched his body collapse to the ground … with a bullet wound to the head.

After the fiancée called 911, police officers raced to the scene and pronounced Ryan dead.

The report says the violence was captured on surveillance video from two casinos — the MGM and New York-New York, from where he posted a video to his Instagram the night before his death.

Police say Ryan had previously contemplated suicide and had slash marks on his arms from harming himself.

Ryan competed on season six of “The Voice” in 2014 … performing Journey’s song “Lights” in a blind audition to earn a spot on Blake Shelton‘s team.

8:30 AM PT — A spokesperson for the Washington Wizards tells TMZ Sports they’re planning to honor the crash victims with a moment of silence before their game against the Lakers in D.C. later Thursday.

D.C.-area sports teams are sending their thoughts and prayers to the dozens of people who are believed to have lost their lives in a midair plane crash Wednesday night.

The Nationals said in a statement they were “devastated” by the fatal collision that occurred when a Black Hawk helicopter seemed to fly into an American Airlines jet just above the Potomac River.

“Our thoughts and prayers are with the victims and their loved ones,” the MLB org. wrote.

The FAA reported Wednesday night the crash happened at 9 PM. The plane, officials stated, had 60 passengers and four crew members on board. The helicopter is believed to have had three soldiers in it.