Former U.S. president Donald Trump paid a visit to East Palestine, Ohio on Feb. 22 where he was greeted with cheers and applause as he offloaded truck loads of necessities to be distributed to residents impacted by the toxic train derailment on Feb. 3.
When asked what he would have done differently than the Biden administration Trump didn’t hesitate and responded, “FEMA would have been here a long time ago,” adding that, “When I came, everybody decided to come.”
Benny Johnson, a Twitter user with over 1.3 million followers tweeted, “This is what happens mid-visit when residents of East Palestine, Ohio start chanting ‘We love you, President Trump!’ He drops what he’s doing and walks over to greet each and every one of them. This is servant leadership and love for fellow Americans.”
Videos have emerged online showing numerous East Palestine residents unloading trucks filled with bottled water, food and other necessities.
Other videos depict locals lining the roads in anticipation of Trump’s arrival with some holding signs critical of the Biden administration.
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In the last federal election East Palestine voted, by a massive majority, for Trump, a fact that has many speculating that the Biden administration’s apparent unwillingness to act in the early days of the disaster was politically driven.
Visit immediately attacked
Trump’s visit was immediately attacked by left leaning mainstream media outlet, MSNBC who said his visit was a “political stunt” and that Trump’s motivation to visit was purely self serving and an opportunity to portray the Biden administration in a poor light.
“He’d visit this reliably red community in a reliably red state, appear concerned, blame democrats, and claim the high ground,” the outlet reported, while placing Trump’s record on rail safety and hazardous chemicals under the spotlight.
Ohio is notorious for oscillating between the two major parties and has always been considered a “swing state,” with both parties battling it out every four years to determine whether Ohio goes Republican or Democrat.
Trump’s visit is in stark contrast to Biden’s recent behaviour, who has come under fire for paying a surprise visit to Ukraine while his own citizens suffered.
Among the more vocal, is Rep. Majorie Taylor Greene, who blasted Biden in a tweet concerning his visit to Ukraine.
“President Trump visits the people of East Palestine, Ohio and brings them water & supplies while Joe Biden only cares about pushing more war and US money in Ukraine,” she tweeted, adding that, “Thank you President Trump for continuing to show what America First looks like.”
Trump’s visit appears to be a welcome and invigorating event for a community that has recently suffered so much hardship.
In comments Trump made while addressing East Palestine residents at the local fire hall he said, “To the people of East Palestine, and to the nearby communities in Ohio and Pennsylvania, we have told you loud and clear you are not forgotten … We stand with you, we pray for you and we’ll stay with you in your fight to help answer, and the accountability that you deserve. We will have that accountability.”
