The residents of East Palestine, Ohio are reeling from the aftermath of the train derailment in the area involving toxic chemicals. The Norfolk Southern Railroad train carrying vinyl chloride and some other chemicals derailed on February 3, causing 50 cars to leave the tracks, and the contents of those cars were spilled into the environment.
The railroad company opted to release the deadly gas from the cars and set fire to the chemicals in an effort to prevent a deadly explosion.
Local residents were told to evacuate the area during the release but were told it was safe to return on February 9.
A visit by the EPA deemed the air and water around the site to be “safe” but residents have reported human illness and sick and dead animals in their town.
Videos on social media are showing the obvious chemicals in the water, and that the water can be set on fire due to the chemicals in it.
FEMA stated that aid would not be given to East Palestine, as precedents are for the destruction of homes.
After first denying aid, FEMA has now after two weeks granted aid to the town in its time of need. The change in government support came after former President Trump announced that he himself would visit East Palestine. Trump will be visiting the area today.
Meanwhile, President Biden did not visit the disaster area and has not announced any plans to do so. Neither has Vice President Harris nor any other high-level government official outside of the EPA visit. Biden is instead visiting Ukraine and Poland on a trip that was previously unannounced.
After giving massive amounts of money to Ukraine, Biden’s speech while visiting Zelensky implies that more financial support to Ukraine will be forthcoming.
The president has also made headlines with comments he wrote in the Ukraine Palace guest book while visiting Ukraine President Zelensky, stating that the city of Kyiv “has captured a part of my heart”.
Biden chose to make the unexpected trip to a war zone rather than visit the East Palestine disaster, some 200+ miles from the White House.
He also made the trip and penned the words praising President Zelensky on President’s Day, a day set aside to honor United States Presidents.
Sitting presidents in the past have opted to visit former U.S. president’s memorials, or make speeches about leaders in America. His administration initially refused aid to the town, and has not specified the aid that will now be granted when massive financial aid has been repeatedly given to Ukraine.
Needless to say, this was not appreciated by the residents of East Palestine, and the mayor of the town had no problem speaking out about the treatment his city is receiving in the face of the environmental and health disaster.
TPN reported:
In an interview with Fox, Mayor Trent Conaway of East Palestine expressed his disappointment and anger that Biden was in Ukraine giving away millions of dollars to them, while they [East Palestine] were dealing with the hazardous waste issue following the train derailment that took place earlier in February.
“That was the biggest slap in the face. That tells you right now he doesn’t care about us,” Mayor Conaway said. He continued, “On Presidents’ Day in our country… he is over in Ukraine. That tells you what kind of guy he is.”
On Tuesday, Mayor Conaway doubled down and refused to apologize for calling out our nation’s president for visiting Kyiv instead of East Palestine, saying “I was very frustrated, but I stand by those comments…if he wants to come, he is welcome.”
East Palestine mayor refuses to apologize for saying that Biden's visit to Kiev before going to Ohio was "a slap in the face":
“I stand by those comments. If he wants to come, he's welcome."pic.twitter.com/pgljBmuzeZ
— Citizen Free Press (@CitizenFreePres) February 21, 2023
Former President Donald Trump, however, is paying attention to East Palestine and their immediate needs, visiting the site today and bringing supplies with him.
A source told FOX News that Trump will e meeting with members of the community and community officials.
Trump’s donations will include thousands of gallons of cleaning supplies and 13 pallets of water, each pallet holding a couple thousand bottles. The former president is teaming up with nonprofit organizations Blue Line Moving and KORTX.
“President Trump is meeting with the citizens of East Palestine and will never forget them and what they are going through, ” a trump advisor told FOX News. “Contrast that with Biden and the federal government who has failed them from the beginning.”
Watch the interview from Monday:
Donald Trump, Jr. tweeted on the matter, “If East Palestine, Ohio, was named East Kiev, Biden would have already sent them billions of dollars in aid by now.”
Former President Trump posted on February 19, “Biden and FEMA said they would not be sending federal aid to East Palestine. As soon as I announced that I’m going, he announced a team will go. This is good news because we want them to ‘move’. The people of East Palestine need help. I’ll see you on Wednesday!”
