White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre declined to say Wednesday whether President Joe Biden will drink water from East Palestine, Ohio, when he visits the site of the February 2023 train derailment.
Biden announced Wednesday that he will visit the city where the derailment occurred on February 3, 2023. The train was carrying toxic chemicals, and the derailment caused a spill, prompting evacuations and shelter-in-place orders as authorities tried to deal with the chemical release. A reporter asked Jean-Pierre if Biden would drink water in town, but she dodged her question. (Related article: “It's very smelly”: Shop owner talks about the damage caused by the toxic train derailment)
“When the president goes to East Palestine next month, will he drink water there?” a reporter asked Jean-Pierre.
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Biden previously promised to visit East Palestine in March 2023. Former President Donald Trump visited East Palestine in February 2023 and donated bottled water and pallets of supplies to help residents of the town.
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“So, what I can say is that from day one, the president has been focused on doing everything he can to support this community,” Jean-Pierre responded. “We know what's going on on the ground. We understand what's going on. That's why we have EPA, we have DOT, we have HHS, we have FEMA on the ground. It is.”
“You know, this is not like some kind of political stunt. This is not a problem — this is not a problem, this is a problem. It's about showing up for something. That's what this is about,” Jean-Pierre continued. “I'm not going to get into some kind of political stunt about drinking, drinking water. Our focus is on making sure they get what they need. He has been invited by community leaders and plans to show up. He always told me he would be there to help when he could most help.” (Related article: 'Really crazy': Tucker Carlson breaks down where Ukraine aid should have gone in America)
Biden faced criticism for visiting Ukraine rather than East Palestine in the weeks after the derailment, with some calling his decision a “slap in the face.”
Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg, a former mayor of South Bend, Indiana, came under fire for his handling of the derailment. Post A Twitter thread from February 13th, 10 days after the accident. The same day, Buttigieg expressed his concerns about the demographics of construction workers.
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