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Former President Donald Trump took to Truth Social to rage about President Joe Biden's planned trip to East Palestine, Ohio, a year after a train derailment caused devastating environmental impacts.
On February 3, 2023, a Norfolk Southern freight train derailed with 38 cars coming off the tracks, 11 of which were carrying toxic chemicals. The derailment sparked a large fire, which prompted emergency responders to breach five cars carrying vinyl chloride and initiate a controlled burn, sending toxic gases into the atmosphere.
Nearly 5,000 people were evacuated, but residents still reported concerning symptoms and harm done to animals, including a sick fox that died in its owner's arms and reports of hundreds of dead fish. A year later, Biden is now planning his first visit to the Ohio border town sometime in February.
Trump, who visited East Palestine in the aftermath of the derailment, said that Biden's visit is a year too late.
"With the World blowing up around us, with the Middle East on FIRE, Biden has finally decided to visit East Palestine, Ohio, a year late, and only to develop some political credibility because EVERYTHING else he has done has been such a DISASTER," Trump wrote on Truth Social on Wednesday. "I know those great people, I was there when it counted, and his reception won't be a warm one. Worst President in History!"
Newsweek reached out to the White House and Trump's campaign via email for comment.
Trump, who is expected to secure the Republican nomination for the 2024 presidential election, traveled to East Palestine weeks after the derailment occurred to deliver bottled water and supplies. He was accompanied by East Palestine Mayor Trent Conaway and Ohio Senator J.D. Vance when he spoke at a firehouse approximately half a mile from where the derailment occurred.
At the time, Trump called the federal response to the derailment a "betrayal."
Biden chose to visit Kyiv around the same time ahead of the first anniversary of the start of the Russian invasion of Ukraine. Conaway called Biden's trip to Kyiv a "slap in the face."
When asked about visiting East Palestine in September while surveying the damage caused by Hurricane Idalia in Florida, Biden said he had not had the time to go despite taking several vacations in the intervening period.
Clean-up work continues at the derailment site, including removing and replacing contaminated soil around the crash site. Contaminated waterways also are still being treated.
The derailment was caused by an overheated wheel bearing failing on one of the train cars, an investigation by the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) found.
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About the writer
Anna Skinner is a Newsweek senior reporter based in Indianapolis. Her focus is reporting on the climate, environment and weather ... Read more