President Joe Biden doubled down on Friday, saying he does not plan to visit Ohio in the aftermath of a train derailment that occurred earlier this month despite pressure from prominent Republicans.
Biden told reporters that he will not visit East Palestine, Ohio, even after former President Donald Trump visited the site, but he defended his administration’s “prompt” response to the disaster.
OHIO TRAIN DERAILMENT: HOUSE REPUBLICANS LAUNCH INVESTIGATION INTO BUTTIGIEG’S RESPONSE TO DISASTER
“At this moment not, but I did a whole video Zoom,” Biden said when asked if he had plans to visit the small Ohio town.
NEW: Pres. Biden tells reporters he has no plans to visit East Palestine, but defends admin response, saying they were on the ground within 2 hours. pic.twitter.com/xnwTD4xOc8
— Nathaniel Reed (@ReedReports) February 24, 2023
“I had a long meeting with my team and what they’re doing,” he added. “You know, we were there two hours after the train went out. Two hours. I spoken with every major figure in both Pennsylvania and Ohio, so the idea that we’re not engaged is simply not there.”
Biden added that there was not a request for him to visit Ohio, even before he went to Europe, but said his administration is keeping “tabs” on the situation. Biden has faced backlash for going to Europe for the one-year anniversary of the war in Ukraine and ignoring struggling Americans in the Midwest.
The president also ordered federal agencies to go door to door to conduct wellness checks on people in East Palestine over the weekend. Under the order, teams from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Environmental Protection Agency, and the Federal Emergency Management Agency will meet with residents face to face to check in and connect them with any necessary resources.
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Biden’s comments come a day after Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg finally visited the site of the derailment. Nearly 50 train cars derailed near the Pennsylvania-Ohio border on Feb. 3, including a collection of cars transporting toxic chemicals such as vinyl chloride. The derailment caused an evacuation in the town and surrounding communities.
