On the morning after a devastating midair collision of an American Airlines plane and an Army helicopter that sent 67 people, not one of whom survived, into the icy waters of the Potomac River, President Trump stood behind the White House lectern and for a brief moment did what presidents do.

He called it “a tragedy of terrible proportions.” He said “we grieve for every precious soul that has been taken from us so suddenly.” He took solace along with the nation, he said, that the journey of the 67 souls ended “in the warm embrace of a loving God.”

But then, as Navy divers continued their search for bodies in the Potomac, the president transitioned into some of the most extraordinary public statements he has ever made.

“We do not know what led to this crash, but we have some very strong opinions and ideas,” Mr. Trump began, his tone moving from solace to irritation. “And I think we’ll probably state those opinions now.”

And so he did. For the next 30 minutes, citing no evidence, Mr. Trump blamed diversity efforts at the Federal Aviation Administration for lowering standards for air traffic controllers. He blamed the Obama administration, claiming it had determined that the F.A.A. work force was “too white.”

He blamed the Biden administration, too, and its secretary of transportation, Pete Buttigieg.

“That guy is a real winner,” Mr. Trump said, sarcastically. “He’s a disaster.”

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