(LibertySociety.com) – On February 18th, former President Donald Trump announced that he would be visiting the town that has been on edge since a train carrying toxic chemicals derailed on February 3rd, 2023.
Trump visited the site of the derailment on February 22nd, 2023, handing out cleaning supplies and bottled water to the residents of East Palestine, Ohio. The former president was greeted by a multitude of supporters after visiting a creek to look at the condition of the water in the area. Senator J.D. Vance of Ohio was also there during the visit.
Senator Vance previously drew attention to the condition of the water in East Palestine when he posted a video of the water at a local creek, which showed bubbles of iridescent material coming to the surface after he drug a stick through it. He and Trump were there to let the residents know that they would not be forgotten. Trump pointed out that FEMA decided to send a team to East Palestine just a few hours after he announced that he was going, but it’s unclear whether or not the two events had any connection. Trump, along with other conservatives, has been critical of the Biden administration and the way they have handled this tragedy, calling for more help to the residents of the community. Although Secretary of Transportion Pete Buttigieg has visited the town, President Joe Biden has indicated he doesn’t have plans to go.
According to a recent report from Newsweek, University of Dayton political science expert Christopher Devine said Trump’s response to the train derailment could have an impact on his presidential campaign–notably whether or not some Republicans view him as a “serious contender.”
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