Musk has publicly clashed with the FAA and its former chief, Michael Whitaker. The Federal Aviation Administration is facing its first major aviation disaster in 16 years without a leader because Elon Musk helped push him out.
Trump offered no evidence that diversity hiring practices contributed to the fatal plane and helicopter collision.
Patrick Hempen, the now-retired FAA director of aviation accident investigations, said several failures have to happen for a collision like this to happen.
Before the additional flights were approved, a senator warned that the increase could heighten the risk of collisions.
An airplane collided with a helicopter while trying to land at the Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport on Wednesday night, officials said.
A regional jet carrying 64 people collided with an Army Black Hawk helicopter. Reagan National Airport grounded all flights.
On Wednesday evening, January 29, a plane crash occurred near Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport - a passenger plane collided with a military Black Hawk
Officials believe there are no survivors after a passenger plane on approach to Reagan National Airport near Washington, DC, collided Wednesday night with a US Army helicopter midair, sending both aircraft into the Potomac River below,
Multiple 911 callers reported the crash near the river just before 8:55 p.m., according to the Metropolitan Police Department and the District of Columbia Fire and EMS.
Search efforts continue after an American Airlines plane from Wichita, with 64 people on board, collided with an Army helicopter near Washington, D.C., and crashed into the Potomac River.
A massive search operation is underway after a passenger aircraft carrying 64 people collided midair with a US Army Black Hawk helicopter near Reagan National Airport outside of Washington, DC, according to aviation and defense officials.