The mayor of East Palestine, Ohio, backed former President Trump in the presidential race in 2024 and chastised President Biden for never visiting the area in the aftermath of the February 3 train crash incident.
“I want to start by thanking Joe and Hunter Biden for coming to the town — oh, that is right, both of them were busy,” the Mayor of East Palestine, Trent R. Conaway jokingly stated on stage during the Lincoln Day dinner in Columbiana, Ohio, this week.
Conaway, who was greeted on stage by Donald Trump Jr., continued by saying that President Trump’s February trip to East Palestine “truly changed the way that folks saw us — the town.”
“They recognized that we needed assistance,” the mayor remarked. “We have been asking for assistance, and we had the EPA as well as other agencies there, but we truly got assistance after Trump visited, so we want to thank you.” We thank you since this could not have happened without you.”
“The support you offered to me and the people who live here, we appreciate it, and you have no idea just how much we appreciated what you did — it definitely changed things,” Conaway said.
“That is why, in 2024, I will endorse your father’s presidential campaign,” the East Palestine mayor continued.
On February 3, a Norfolk Southern train carrying dangerous chemicals derailed near East Palestine, releasing toxins into the environment. In an attempt to remove the dangerous materials, cleanup teams ignited five train cars, resulting in a terrifying column of dense smoke like a mushroom cloud.
The railway tragedy also forced around half of the town’s inhabitants to flee. While homeowners have been assured they can return home, many remain worried about the quality of the air and water.
In the aftermath of the accident, Trump visited East Palestine, delivering truckloads of bottled water for the town’s people and bringing further national attention to the little Ohio community that has been left in chaos.
The next day, Trump was joined on his trip to East Palestine by U.S. Secretary of Transportation Pete Buttigieg, who had first responded to the incident by disseminating lies and misinformation.
Meanwhile, President Biden has not visited the Ohio town since the train catastrophe. Instead, Biden has been touring other countries such as Ukraine and Ireland.
