Last Updated on February 23, 2023
The White House jumped to defend criticism of the Biden administration’s weak response to the East Palestine, Ohio trail derailment which led to hazardous chemicals being released into the environment.
White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre scolded a reporter who attacked President Biden’s administration over his response to the tragic Ohio disaster, Fox News reported.
Earlier this week, the mayor of East Palestine, Trent Conway, called Biden’s decision to visit Ukraine before the Ohio city a “slap in the face.”
A reporter asked Jean-Pierre for comments regarding the mayor’s comment.
Jean-Pierre claimed the admin took an “all hands approach” in their response despite Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg not visiting the city until three weeks after the Feb. 3 event.
Buttigieg himself even admitted he waited too long to merely comment on the chemical spill, the Daily Caller reported. Citing the “norm of transportation secretaries,” Buttigieg said, “I was taking pains to respect the role that I have and the role that I don’t have, but that should not have stopped me from weighing in about how I felt about what was happening to this community.”
Andrew Bates, the White House’s deputy press secretary went as far as to blame the Trump administration for the East Palestine derailment and called on Republicans to apologize to Ohioans. “Congressional Republicans and former Trump Administration officials owe East Palestine an apology for selling them out to rail industry lobbyists when they dismantled Obama-Biden rail safety protections as well as EPA powers to rapidly contain spills,” Bates told USA Today.
Sec. Buttigieg visited East Palestine on Monday, but dodged questions from multiple members of the press.
“I asked Sec. Buttigieg why it took him almost 3 weeks to come and speak to residents of East Palestine. His press Secretary then told me I was aggressive for trying to ask questions on camera,” TPUSA’s Savannah Hernadez posted on Twitter.
WATCH:
I asked Sec. Buttigieg why it took him almost 3 weeks to come and speak to residents of East Palestine.
His press Secretary then told me I was aggressive for trying to ask questions on camera: pic.twitter.com/bOB52DIq0O
— Savanah Hernandez (@sav_says_) February 23, 2023
Stay tuned to National File for any updates.
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