WASHINGTON — As cleanup continues following last month's toxic train derailment in East Palestine, President Biden confirmed Monday he is planning a visit to the Northeast Ohio village.
The details of such a trip remain unknown, along with the exact date for when it might occur.
As Biden was exiting a meeting with Senate Democrats Thursday afternoon, NBC News Capitol Hill correspondent Ryan Nobles asked him if he would go to the site of the Norfolk Southern crash that led to toxic chemicals being released into the air and water. The president responded that he would, indeed, be journeying to Columbiana County "at some point."
"I've spoken with every official in Ohio — Democrat and Republican — on a continuous basis, as in Pennsylvania, and laid out a little bit in there what I think the answers are when we put them together," Biden said, "and we will be implementing an awful lot to the legislature here and I will be out there at some point."
Biden's statement comes amid criticism from Republicans regarding his failure to visit East Palestine, something the president previously said he did not plan to do. On Wednesday, Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine — who early in the crisis told the president additional federal assistance was not needed before later requesting help from FEMA, the CDC, and the Department of Health and Human Services — made his first public call for Biden to come to the area.
"The president needs to come," DeWine said on Fox News' "Fox & Friends" morning program. "The people want to see the president. He should be there."
White House officials have countered by noting multiple federal agencies were on the ground within hours of the crash, and just last week DeWine told 3News' Russ Mitchell the state was "getting the help we need" from the federal government. East Palestine Mayor Trent Conaway also told MSNBC a presidential visit "would actually be more harm than good" due to security concerns before later blasting Biden for going to Ukraine (Conaway has said, however, that the president is welcome to come).
There is no documented evidence of Biden's Republican predecessor, Donald Trump, visiting a similar train derailment site during his presidency. Trump, who is running again in 2024, did travel to East Palestine on Feb. 22 and falsely claimed the White House did not send anyone to the area until after he announced he was coming.
Biden has pledged to give East Palestine residents "everything they need," and most recently ordered officials to conduct door-to-door checks across the village. This week, Ohio U.S. Sens. Sherrod Brown and JD Vance also introduced a bipartisan bill that would increase regulations on railroads.
While the president has not been to Columbiana County, U.S. EPA Administrator Michael Regan has journeyed there several times, and Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg surveyed the area on Feb. 23.