Former President Donald Trump visited East Palestine to tour the site of a toxic train derailment and distribute his branded water to residents.
He criticized President Biden and the federal government for their lack of response to the disaster, which occurred 19 days prior, and praised the residents and local law enforcement.
Republican Senator J.D. Vance also visited the town, leading the backlash against the White House’s inaction. Local residents, some waving MAGA flags, cheered Trump as he arrived, with some chanting “no more Joe.”
In response, Pete Buttigieg, the Transportation Secretary, who had been criticized for not visiting the site, stated that he would be visiting the location on Thursday.
Biden later broke his silence on the derailment on Twitter, noting his commitment to provide the community with every resource they need. East Palestine Mayor Trent Conway criticized Biden for visiting Ukraine before addressing domestic issues and suggested he is not committed to helping the community.
However, Buttigieg downplayed the need for an official to visit the site and suggested that Trump’s visit was a photo-op for his 2024 campaign.