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Donald Trump in Ohio: The former US President has already announced that he wants to run for office again
Photo: Matt Freed / dpa
For Donald Trump, the 2024 presidential campaign has apparently already begun.
Almost three weeks after a freight train loaded with toxic chemicals derailed in the US state of Ohio, the former president traveled to the scene of the accident.
The Republican, who wants to retake the White House in next year's presidential election, visited the East Palestine community on Wednesday, thanked the emergency services and criticized the administration of his successor Joe Biden.
The people of East Palestine have fallen victim to "indifference and, in some cases, betrayal," Trump said.
Biden initially did not want to mobilize federal aid.
Ohio's conservative governor Mike DeVine had meanwhile stated that the civil protection agency Fema did not see itself as responsible after the accident.
Then the dispatch of a Fema team was announced.
Other federal agencies are also on site.
Trump and other Republican officials have repeatedly criticized the Biden administration after the February 3 freight train accident, which released the chemical vinyl chloride, which is classified as a carcinogen.
Among other things, they accuse the President and his ministers of not having traveled to East Palestine and not providing sufficient support to the local population.
Criticism of Biden's visit to Kiev
Far-right MP Andy Biggs wrote via Twitter following Biden's surprise visit to the Ukrainian capital of Kiev on Monday: "You should stand with East Palestine - an American city in your own country that needs your help."
The mayor of the small town, Trent Conaway, was also critical of Biden's visit to Kiev.
He described the trip as a slap in the face.
"He doesn't care about us," Conaway told Fox News.
Biden is giving "millions of dollars to the people over there, not to us, I'm angry." The White House announced on Tuesday that Biden had been informed about the situation in East Palestine during his stay in Poland.
In Presidential fashion, Trump presented himself as a benefactor during his visit to the scene of the accident.
He had had thousands of bottles of drinking water shipped to East Palestine, he announced from the lectern at the local fire station, wearing his distinctive red baseball cap, on which his campaign slogan "Make America Great Again" was written in large white letters.
But people should make sure they get one of the bottles with his name on it, "Trump water," he said.
That's better.
For their part, the Democrats used Trump's visit to the scene of the accident to criticize his record as President - and accused him of having weakened safety standards for freight trains during his time in the White House (2017 to 2021).
Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg, who is due to travel to East Palestine on Thursday, told CBS that the Trump administration has been "anti-regulation and pro-industry" throughout.
Residents fear health consequences
The freight train with 150 wagons had an accident on the way from Madison in the state of Illinois to Conway in the state of Pennsylvania.
Almost 40 wagons derailed.
A huge fire broke out, toxic chemicals leaked into the environment.
Thousands of people had to leave their homes temporarily.
The authorities claim that tests have shown that the air and water in the region are safe.
However, many residents are skeptical and attribute headaches to the accident, among other things.
The Environmental Protection Agency instructed the Norfolk Southern rail company on Tuesday to pay for the clean-up costs.
Trump announced a new presidential bid in November.
The 76-year-old right-wing populist is still very popular with the conservative base.
However, many Republicans would rather go into the 2024 presidential election with a different candidate than with the highly controversial ex-president.
asc/dpa/AFP
