A retired pilot condemned president Donald Trump's comments about the midair collision between an American Airlines passenger jet and U.S. Army helicopter. The president opened his White House briefing Thursday with a moment of silence and a brief prayer before launching an attack against diversity hiring and Democratic officials.

Following last night's mid-air collision, U.S. President Donald Trump pointed the finger at his predecessors, without any evidence, for loosening air traffic control standards. An American Airlines regional passenger jet and a U.