White House Demands GOP, Ex-Trump Officials Apologize To East Palestine For Toxic Rail Spill

Topline

President Joe Biden’s office called on former President Donald Trump’s administration and Congressional Republicans to apologize for blocking rail and water safety regulations in a counter-attack on GOP criticism of the federal government’s response to the toxic train derailment in East Palestine, Ohio, earlier this month.

Former President Donald Trump stands next to a pallet of water before delivering remarks at the East … [+] Palestine Fire Department station on February 22. On February 3rd, a Norfolk Southern Railways train carrying toxic chemicals derailed causing an environmental disaster. Thousands of residents were ordered to evacuate after the area was placed under a state of emergency. (Photo by Michael Swensen/Getty Images)

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Key Facts

White House spokesperson Andrew Bates accused the Trump Administration and Republicans in Congress of “selling [East Palestine] out to rail industry lobbyists,” he said in a statement that called on the GOP to “work across the aisle with us to put Obama-Biden protections back in place and go further.”

Bates referenced Trump’s decision to nix an Obama-era proposal that would have required stronger brakes on trains carrying hazardous materials, along with Republican lawmakers’ efforts to block Biden’s plan to designate more wetlands and waterways as federally protected land, which would require businesses to obtain permits for activities that could harm water quality.

Trump also withdrew from a proposed rule that would have set minimum requirements for the size of train crew staff and, and he separately allowed trains to carry liquefied natural gas, per a request by the rail lobby, among other loosened restrictions.

In addition, Trump repeatedly touted his “historic” record on deregulating various industries in the name of economic growth and called for cuts of up to 31% to the Environmental Protection Agency’s budget, a proposal the Democratic-controlled House rejected.

The White House’s statements come as Trump visited East Palestine on Wednesday, alongside Ohio Republicans Sen. J.D. Vance and Rep. Bill Johnson, and delivered pallets of water and cleaning supplies (despite resident concerns, EPA officials have said the water in East Palestine is safe to drink).

Republicans have cast the federal government’s response to the train derailment as an example of what they say is Democratic neglect of rural areas.

GOP members, including far-right Reps. Matt Gaetz (Fla.) and Marjorie Taylor Greene (Ga.), publicly criticized Biden’s Monday visit to Ukraine in lieu of a visit to East Palestine.

Key Background

A Norfolk Southern train carrying hazardous materials, including the toxic flammable gas vinyl chloride, derailed in East Palestine on February 3, causing a two-day fire that shrouded the village in smoke. Crews conducted a controlled burn of additional train cars that released toxic chemicals into the air, prompting Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine (R) to implement a mandatory evacuation for residents within a two-mile radius of the area. Officials have since stressed that the air and water are safe.

Chief Critics

East Palestine Mayor Trent Conway told Fox News on Monday that Biden’s visit to Ukraine was a “slap in the face.” Trump, meanwhile, said during an event in Florida on Monday that the residents of East Palestine were “abandoned.”

Contra

The Obama-era proposal that would have required electronically controlled pneumatic brakes on trains carrying hazardous materials would not have applied to the train that derailed in East Palestine, National Transportation Safety Board Chair Jennifer Homendy explained on Twitter earlier this month, noting that the regulation was intended for “high hazard flammable trains.” The train that derailed in East Palestine was classified as a “mixed freight train,” she said.

Tangent

Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg announced Wednesday he would visit East Palestine a day after Trump. Republicans, including Sen. Marco Rubio (Fla.) called on Buttigieg to resign for what they said was a delayed response to the derailment. Buttigieg acknowledged in an interview with CBS News on Tuesday he could have spoken out “sooner,” calling it a “lesson learned.”

What To Watch For

The National Transportation Safety Board will release a preliminary report on the cause of the train derailment on Thursday.

Big Number

64% That’s the share of voters in Ohio’s 6th Congressional District who voted for Trump versus Biden in the 2020 presidential election. Trump won more than 60% of the votes there in the 2016 election.