President Joe Biden mentioned Friday he does not have plans to visit East Palestine, Ohio, the place a train derailment three weeks in the past led to a poisonous chemical spill that is endangered residents and wildlife for miles.
“At this second [I’m] not,” Biden instructed reporters on the White Home when requested whether or not he deliberate to visit the city close to the border with Pennsylvania.
“The reply is that I had a protracted assembly with my workforce and what they’re doing. You already know, we had been there inside two hours that the train went down, two hours.”
The Biden administration has confronted harsh criticism from congressional Republicans, in addition to residents of the city, over its response to the derailment, with some arguing that the president ought to have prioritized journey to East Palestine over making a shock visit to Ukraine earlier this week.
Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg on Thursday visited East Palestine and vowed that his division will work with the administration and Congress to stop future disasters related to the Feb. 3 train derailment.
Biden on Friday disputed that his administration was not engaged with the response from authorities, telling reporters that he is “protecting very shut tabs” on the trouble.
