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Op-Ed: Donald Trump to Tour the Damage of Norfolk Southern Derailment in Ohio Before Biden or Buttigieg

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Donald Trump
President Donald Trump will visit with members of the community who are dealing with the aftermath of a Norfolk Southern train derailment, he confirmed in a statement, File photo: Frederic Legrand – COMEO, Shutter Stock, licensed.

PORTSMOUTH, OH –  President Donald Trump is expected to travel to East Palestine, Ohio, next week following the 50-car train derailment there, according to a tweet on Friday from his son, Donald Trump Jr.

“Breaking News: Trump will visit East Palestine, Ohio next week,” Trump Jr. wrote. If our “leaders” are too afraid to actually lead, real leaders will step up and fill the void.

“Trump will visit with members of the community who are dealing with the aftermath of a Norfolk Southern train derailment, he confirmed in a statement,” the Daily Caller reported.

Trump claimed on social media that President Joe Biden and the Federal Emergency Management Agency would not be sending federal aid to East Palestine, but reversed course “as soon as I announced that I’m going.” The initial report by Fox News claiming Trump would visit East Palestine was published at 6:12 p.m. EST on Friday, with Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine (R) announcing roughly an hour later that FEMA would be deploying federal resources to East Palestine, as reported in the Washington Examiner.

Senator JD Vance (R-OH) and Donald Trump’s visits are bringing more attention to the toxic spill tragedy. Why didn’t Gov. DeWine’s request bring in the big guns?

Absent from Ohio and the town hall meeting in Palestine were President Joe Biden and Department of Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg, who have both received criticism for not visiting and for their trepid responding to the toxic spill.

In a commentary for Newsweek, Ohio native Shea Williams shared, “The town I grew up in is just 20 miles away from East Palestine. As you’ve seen by now, a train carrying thousands of gallons of extremely hazardous, war-grade chemicals derailed there, igniting a horrifying black plume. The images have kept me up at night often these last couple of weeks. I have friends and family right there. My grandparents live there. My best friend is about to have her second baby there.”

Williams expressed her concerns: “The White House’s silence on this has been deafening. Two weeks since the train derailed, there still hasn’t been an official statement. Even more absurd, Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine says his requests for federal disaster aid have been denied. Apparently, taxpayers in dire need of assistance are not eligible?”

Williams wants answers: “But are we really expected to believe officials telling us our air and water is safe when thousands of animals are dropping dead and people are experiencing negative symptoms related to chemical fallout? What about all the other hazmat spills and fires happening suddenly around the country? What is going on?”

The lifelong Ohioan partnered with RepresentUs, the nation’s largest anti-corruption organization, to tell her story.

Being an Ohioan, I too, am concerned for the people in the small town. And I agree with Williams.

Prayers of safety for the entire town.

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