Trump expressed condolences for the families and complimented their contributions to his company. He then made their deaths about himself, saying he had intended to be on the helicopter but changed plans at the last minute. But for him, the real import of the crash would be the loss of leadership at a crucial moment. With one of the biggest casinos in the nation under construction, costs approaching $1 billion, and almost $50 million in interest payments coming due every six months on just that one project, Trump had no one he trusted leading his casinos.
