Earlier, President Trump told reporters aboard Air Force One while en route to Japan, part of his Asia tour ahead of trade talks with China later this week, that he does not suspect foul play in the crash of two separate U.S. military aircraft in the South China Sea on Sunday.
A Sikorsky SH-60 Seahawk helicopter and a Boeing F/A-18E/F Super Hornet fighter jet crashed about 30 minutes apart on Sunday while operating from the carrier USS Nimitz in the South China Sea. All personnel survived.
Trump told reporters, “They think it might be bad fuel.”
The incidents occurred as the carrier strike group was nearing the end of its deployment. China criticized the U.S. presence in the region as trade talks between President Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping are set for Thursday.
Ahead of the trade talks, Trump signed a series of trade deals with Southeast Asian countries on Sunday, while U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent revealed a “successful framework” after his meeting with top Chinese trade officials. All indications so far suggest the Trump-Xi meeting may produce a deal.
Odds on the cryptocurrency-based prediction market Polymarket show a 51% chance that the U.S. and China will agree on a trade deal this month.
Back to the Seahawk and Super Hornet crashes: at least there is no indication of anything suspicious, especially at a moment when a US-China trade deal appears to be within reach.
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