Former President Donald Trump went to East Palestine, Ohio Wednesday, the site of the toxic spill that happen after a train derailed earlier this month.
Trump blasted President Joe Biden and his administration for not responding sooner to the accident, which had local residents fleeing from their homes over the toxic spill and subsequent fire to mediate the disaster.
The ex-president handed out cases of “Trump water” to residents — about 14,000 bottles — to fearful community members.
“We’re bringing thousands of bottles of water — Trump Water … We have it in trucks and we brought some in my plane… You’re going to have plenty of water for a long time,” he told a crowd at the local firehouse, roughly half a mile from the derailment site.
Donning his trademark “Make America Great Again” hat, Trump also vowed to provide food and cleaning supplies — and insisted to residents: “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 [get] accountability that you deserve,” Trump said.
Trump told residents assembled outside the local firehouse, “In too many cases, your goodness and perseverance were met with indifference and betrayal.”
“What this community needs now are not excuses and all of the other things you’ve been hearing, but answers and results.”
Supporters chanting “We love you, Trump!” and “U.S.A.!” lined the streets as Trump’s motorcade drove through the town.
Before he left, Trump visited a local McDonald’s and bought meals for firefighters and first responders and was swarmed by local people from the town, to whom he handed out MAGA hats.
In a video from inside the restaurant, he can be heard saying: “[They’re systematically destroying our country and it’s a shame. And Buttigieg should have been here.”
Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg, who has also been slammed for not showing up earlier in East Palestine, announced Wednesday he’d finally be visiting East Palestine on Thursday.