Former President Donald Trump is planning a visit to East Palestine, Ohio, where he will be donating thousands of gallons of cleaning supplies and more than a dozen pallets of water to help with the aftermath of a train derailment that caused a release of toxic chemicals.
Trump is set to meet with community officials and members, and will be joined by several local and statewide officials, including Ohio State Sen. Michael Rulli, State Rep. Monica Robb-Blasdel, Rep. Bill Johnson, and Sen. J.D. Vance.
The train derailment happened on Feb. 3, when around 50 cars on a Norfolk Southern Railroad train derailed, releasing toxic chemicals and fumes into the air.
Residents of East Palestine were told to evacuate the area, and were only able to return six days later, on Feb. 9. Since then, residents have reported severe symptoms from the toxins and chemicals that have been affecting their air and waterways.
The Biden administration faced criticism from residents for not approving a FEMA disaster declaration, which officials say did not meet the legal requirements for such a declaration.
After more than two weeks, the administration announced on Friday that it would deploy medical personnel and toxicologists from the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) to East Palestine.
Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine had requested aid from FEMA on Feb. 16, but was denied disaster assistance. However, FEMA later reversed its decision and announced it would deploy federal assistance to East Palestine.
Despite these efforts, East Palestine Mayor Trent Conaway and local residents have expressed frustration with the lack of federal assistance and resources on the ground.
Conaway criticized President Biden’s decision to make a surprise visit to Ukraine, nearly a year after Russia’s invasion, instead of visiting East Palestine. He called it “the biggest slap in the face” and said it showed that Biden “doesn’t care about us.”
Residents using well water have been encouraged to use bottled water, while water from the city of East Palestine has been deemed safe.
Air samples from hundreds of homes in the area showed no present toxins, but residents remain worried about the safety of the area due to noxious odors and reports of mysterious rashes.
In response to the ongoing situation, Trump’s visit and donation are welcome news to the community. The former president’s advisor stated that Trump “will never forget them and what they are going through,” contrasting the former president’s actions with what they claim to be Biden’s failure to assist the community.