President Trump visited Palestine, Ohio, today, the affected town of the deadly train derailment that occurred 19 days ago. Meanwhile, President Biden, who has yet to survey the damage or address the people, is in Ukraine. The former President arrived in his private plane Wednesday morning and also provided the town with some supplies. When speaking to the crowd of supporters, he said, “You are not forgotten.” Pallets of water, cleaning supplies, and more were trucked in for the town.
The Biden White House has defended its response to the derailment, saying officials from the Environmental Protection Agency, National Transportation Safety Board, and other agencies appeared on-site within hours of the derailment. The White House says it has also offered federal assistance and that the Federal Emergency Management Agency has been coordinating with the state emergency operations center and other partners; however, it wasn’t until last weekend that FEMA arrived on the scene. EPA Administrator Michael Regan visited the site last week and tried to reassure skeptical residents that the water was fit for drinking and the air safe to breathe. “I’m asking they trust the government,” Regan said. “I know that’s hard. We know there’s a lack of trust.” Officials are “testing for everything that was on that train,” he said. Shortly before Trump arrived in Ohio, Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg announced he would visit Thursday after facing criticism for not coming earlier. During Trump’s speech, he said the community needs “answers and results,” not excuses. He spoke at a firehouse less than a mile from where more than three dozen freight cars — including 11 carrying hazardous materials — came off the tracks near the Pennsylvania state line. “In too many cases, your goodness and perseverance were met with indifference and betrayal,” Trump said. He appeared with Sen. JD Vance, R-Ohio, Mayor Trent Conaway, and other state and local leaders.
Hear Palestine citizens reaction to Trump’s visit as well as his thoughts regarding Biden not showing up: