Fact Check: No, Barack Obama Wasn't on Army Helicopter That Crashed Into American Airline Plane
Claim:
Former U.S. President Barack Obama was on the military helicopter that crashed into an American Airlines passenger jet in January 2025.
Rating:
On Jan. 29, 2025, an army helicopter collided with an American Airlines passenger jet near Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport near Washington, D.C. The jet, which was flying from Wichita, Kansas, carried 64 people, while the helicopter had three people on board. All were believed dead.
A viral rumor (archived) about the crash claimed that former U.S. President Barack Obama was on the military helicopter. Numerous posts on Facebook (archived) and X said a VIP on the Blackhawk helicopter was none other than the former president.
(Image via Facebook)
The above claims are false. Official statements have confirmed the three individuals in the helicopter were soldiers. Furthermore, had Obama indeed been on the flight, it would have made major headline news.
Obama himself issued a statement (archived) on his X account, expressing sadness over the crash, proving that he was not in the helicopter:
Our hearts break for the families who lost loved ones in the tragic plane and helicopter crash at DCA. Michelle and I send our prayers and condolences to everyone who is mourning today, and we're grateful to the first responders who are doing everything they can to help under extremely difficult circumstances.
According to officials briefing the news media on the morning of Jan. 30, they believed no one survived the crash from either the airplane or the helicopter. Washington D.C. Fire and EMS Chief John Donnelly said operations were shifting from search-and-rescue to recovery efforts.
"At this point, we don't believe there are any survivors from this accident, and we have recovered 27 people from the plane and one from the helicopter," he said.
Pete Hegseth, the newly confirmed U.S. secretary of defense, also issued a statement from his office, "It's a tragedy, a horrible loss of life for those 64 souls on that civilian airliner, and of course the three soldiers in that Black Hawk [helicopter]."
He added that the helicopter was on an "annual proficiency training flight," but the agency would not release the names of the soldiers as their families had not been notified yet.
Other passengers in the American Airlines flight included members of the U.S. Figure Skating world and two Russian former figure skaters.
"D.C. Fire Chief John A. Donnelly: Don't Believe There Are Any Survivors at This Point." CNBC Television, 2025, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gjJz32eGIq0." target="blank">https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gjJz32eGIq0.">https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gjJz32eGIq0. Accessed 30 Jan. 2025.
Irwin, Lauren. "Officials Say 'No Survivors' Expected after Crash at Reagan Washington National Airport." The Hill, 30 Jan. 2025, https://thehill.com/regulation/transportation/5115681-officials-no-survivors-dca-crash/." target="blank">https://thehill.com/regulation/transportation/5115681-officials-no-survivors-dca-crash/.">https://thehill.com/regulation/transportation/5115681-officials-no-survivors-dca-crash/. Accessed 30 Jan. 2025.
Kasulis Cho, Kelly, et al. "What We Know about the Plane and Military Helicopter Crash in D.C." The Washington Post, 30 Jan. 2025, https://www.washingtonpost.com/nation/2025/01/30/dc-plane-crash-deaths-survivors-potomac-reagan-airport/." target="blank">https://www.washingtonpost.com/nation/2025/01/30/dc-plane-crash-deaths-survivors-potomac-reagan-airport/.">https://www.washingtonpost.com/nation/2025/01/30/dc-plane-crash-deaths-survivors-potomac-reagan-airport/. Accessed 30 Jan. 2025.
Smith, Mitch, et al. "Live Updates: No Survivors After Plane and Helicopter Crash Near Washington, Officials Say." The New York Times, 30 Jan. 2025. NYTimes.com, https://www.nytimes.com/live/2025/01/29/us/plane-crash-washington-dc." target="blank">https://www.nytimes.com/live/2025/01/29/us/plane-crash-washington-dc.">https://www.nytimes.com/live/2025/01/29/us/plane-crash-washington-dc. Accessed 30 Jan. 2025.
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