Washington, D.C., June 16, 2025 — U.S. President Donald Trump called for a ceasefire between Israel and Iran on Sunday, as the escalating conflict enters its fourth day with rising civilian casualties on both sides.

Trump confirmed that the United States is not involved in Israel’s ongoing military strikes against Iran, despite reports suggesting that Israeli officials had lobbied Washington to participate in operations targeting Iran’s nuclear infrastructure.

“I hope both sides will come to their senses soon,” Trump said during a brief press conference at Mar-a-Lago. “This is a very dangerous situation, but the United States is not currently involved militarily.”

Trump also revealed he held a lengthy phone call with Russian President Vladimir Putin on Saturday, in which the Israel–Iran conflict was a key topic. The former president said both leaders agreed that regional escalation must be prevented and emphasized the importance of diplomatic efforts to defuse tensions.

His remarks come as global leaders, including German Chancellor Friedrich Merz and Canada’s Prime Minister Sophie Trudeau, call for immediate de-escalation and humanitarian protections amid reports of civilian deaths in Tel Aviv, Haifa, and Tehran.

The flight, en route to London, crashed into the residential faculty housing of Sushruta Medical College, killing nearly everyone on board. One passenger miraculously survived and remains in stable condition.

Trump: “Terrible, Just Terrible — One of the Worst Ever”

Speaking during an afternoon press conference at the White House, President Trump expressed deep sorrow for the victims and their families. His remarks were among the first from a major world leader following the crash.

“It’s a terrible, terrible tragedy one of the worst aviation disasters we’ve seen in a very long time, maybe ever,” Trump said. “Our thoughts are with the people of India, and with the families in the U.K., Portugal, and Canada who’ve lost loved ones.”

He also extended an offer of immediate U.S. assistance to Indian authorities, promising “whatever help is needed  technical, humanitarian, logistical.”

“If they want it, we will send the best teams in the world,” he added. “Our aviation experts, our disaster response crews they’re ready to go.”

Trump Speculates on Cause of Crash

In a brief aside, Trump commented on early footage of the crash, saying the plane appeared to be “flying pretty well” before impact.

“I saw the video. It seemed to be flying pretty well. Something must have happened all of a sudden a technical failure, or something worse. We’ll find out.”

While officials from India’s Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) have launched a full investigation and are retrieving the aircraft’s black box, speculation about the cause continues to circulate. So far, there is no evidence pointing to foul play, but mechanical failure remains a strong possibility.

Global Condolences, Worldwide Mourning

Trump joins a growing list of world leaders expressing condolences. Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, U.K. Prime Minister Aisha Khan, Canadian Prime Minister Nathaniel Greene, and Portuguese President Duarte Silva have all issued statements mourning the lives lost.

President Trump emphasized that aviation safety is a shared global concern, and stressed the need for full transparency in the investigation.

“We owe it to the victims and their families to find out exactly what happened and to make sure it never happens again.”

U.S. Nationals and Global Impact

Though no American nationals were on board, the U.S. government has confirmed that several of the deceased held permanent residency or family ties in the United States, especially among the British and Indian communities in New York and California.

The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) and the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) have also offered technical support to India’s aviation safety authorities.

Crash Overview: Air India AI-187

• Flight Path: Ahmedabad to London

• Fatalities: 241

• Survivor: 1 confirmed, in stable condition

• Nationalities on Board:

  • 169 Indian

  • 53 British

  • 7 Portuguese

  • 1 Canadian

Emergency teams continue to work through the crash site, and recovery of all remains is expected to take several more days. Grief-stricken families have begun arriving in Ahmedabad to begin the heartbreaking process of identification.

A Moment of Silence

At Trump’s request, a moment of silence was observed at the White House briefing. Flags across U.S. federal buildings will fly at half-mast for 24 hours in solidarity with the victims.

“This is not just India’s loss it’s a global tragedy,” Trump said. “We stand with our friends and allies in this terrible time.”