President Donald Trump on Thursday mourned the lives lost in a midair collision Wednesday night as he vows to strengthen hiring standards in the aviation industry. While he says it’s not clear yet what led to the collision, he’s pointing to "incompetence" as a potential reason.

Three of Trump's most controversial Cabinet picks were on Capitol Hill Thursday for their confirmation hearings. Democrats pressed Kash Patel, FBI director nominee, on whether he would lead political retribution on behalf of the president.

As the cease-fire in the Gaza Strip continues to hold, more hostages and Palestinian prisoners are being released. On Thursday, eight hostages were released, including three Israelis and five Thai nationals.