Biden ‘Can’t Recall’ Speaking With East Palestine Mayor
In an interview with ABC News anchor David Muir, President Joe Biden said he “can’t recall” whether he’s spoken to the mayor of East Palestine, Ohio.
In East Palestine, a train derailment released toxic chemicals into the atmosphere, affecting the town’s air and water quality.
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Breitbart news reported:
Host David Muir asked, “It’s been three weeks now since the toxic train derailment in East Palestine, Ohio, as you know. The mayor says he saw you in Ukraine and he says, it tells you he doesn’t care about us. They’re asking, is the president coming to Ohio? Do you have any plans to travel to Ohio, and have you talked with the mayor yet?”
Biden answered, “Let’s put this in perspective, within two hours of that derailment, the EPA was in there, within two hours. Every major agency in the United States government that’s had anything to do with rail and/or cleanup was there and is there.”
Muir continued, “So do you plan to travel there and have you talked with the mayor?”
Biden responded, “I can’t recall whether I’ve — I don’t think I’ve talked to the mayor. I’ve talked to everyone else there, multiple times. I’ve talked to both the senators, both governors, I’ve talked to everyone there is to talk to, and we’ve made it clear that everything is available.”
While Biden has yet to visit East Palestine, former President Donald Trump visited the town, supplying residents with food and water.
There, Trump bought McDonald’s for the town’s first responders.
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While the former president visited the town, Biden was in Ukraine, pledging $500 million in U.S. support.
East Palestine Mayor Trent Conaway criticized Biden’s trip, saying, “It tells you he doesn’t care about us.”
Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg visited the town a day after Trump. It took him over 20 days since the train derailment to do so.
During his visit, Buttigieg said he was “proud” of the Department of Transportation’s (DOT) response to the derailment, blasting “people trying to take political advantage of this situation.”
Biden’s decision to visit Ukraine instead of East Palestine shows where his priorities stand.