Trump Says East Palestine Mayor Trent Conaway Is Very Easy To Find

Visiting the site of a toxic train derailment in Ohio on Wednesday, Donald Trump called the city’s physically visible mayor “very easy to find” and praised him.

During remarks in East Palestine, Trump searched the room for Mayor Trent R. Conaway and said, “Trent, where’s Trent? He’s very easy to find,” eventually turning to shake the mayor’s hand.

Trump praised Conaway for “tirelessly working for this community from the very beginning,” after the February 3 derailment put the mayor of the city of 5,000 in the national political spotlight.

On Monday, Conaway criticized President Joe Biden for making his surprise visit to Ukraine, instead of East Palestine, calling it “the biggest slap in the face telling you right now that he doesn’t care about us” in an interview with foxnews.

Conaway later backtracked on those comments when asked at a briefing if he would still welcome a visit from Biden, saying: “I would never turn anyone away.” This has become a political pawn game. If you want to come visit us, you can come visit us.

Conaway, mayor of the city of 5,000, has become the center of national attention after the derailment of a train loaded with toxic chemicals on February 3.

Conaway added: ‘We don’t want to be political pawns. We don’t want to be a piece of sound or a piece of news. We just want to go back to living our lives like before.

Elected Republicans have flocked to the small town in recent weeks, criticizing the Biden administration’s response to the toxic spill and criticizing Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg and Biden for not visiting the site as well.

Of Biden’s cabinet, only EPA Administrator Michael Regan visited the East Palestine site, but the Biden administration defended its response, saying high-level visits would only distract from recovery and cleanup efforts.

The Biden administration has also singled out Trump for the disaster, claiming he could have done more as president to tighten rail and environmental regulations.

The train disaster took perhaps its most political turn on Wednesday, with a visit from Trump, who is preparing a third run for the White House.

Wearing his trademark red ‘Make America Great Again’ cap, Trump slammed the federal response as a ‘betrayal’ and said the community needs ‘answers and results’, not excuses.

The former president greeted crowds angry at the White House’s apparent inaction and brought thousands of bottles of his own water, cleaning supplies and canned food.

Trump stands next to a platform for his branded water in eastern Palestine. He brought trucks of his own supplies during his visit to the site of the toxic train derailment.

Trump then stopped at a local McDonald’s where he ordered Big Macs for first responders and his team members, and handed out signed MAGA hats to patrons.

He then stopped at a local McDonald’s where he ordered Big Macs for first responders and his team members, and handed out autographed MAGA caps to customers.

I know this menu better than you. I probably know it better than anyone here,’ he told the waiter and demanded that they ‘remove it fast’ so he could eat it on the plane.

Trump appeared with Sen. JD Vance, Mayor Conaway, and state and local leaders, and traveled in a motorcade, giving the visit the appearance of an official presidential visit.

Hundreds of people lined the streets waving MAGA flags and chanting ‘no more Joe’ to greet Trump after he landed in the community in his refurbished Trump Force One jet.

In a speech at the local fire department, he praised the response of law enforcement and the “strength and courage” of residents, saying: “They are not forgotten.”

“In far too many cases, their kindness and perseverance were met with indifference and betrayal,” Trump said at the event, about a half mile from where more than three dozen freight cars, including 11 carrying hazardous materials, slid off the tracks. .

The burning, mangled mess near the Pennsylvania state line was apparently caused by a mechanical problem with a railroad car axle.

Trump vowed to return if the community did not receive help from the White House, and when asked by a reporter what message he had for Biden, Trump said: “Come here.”

His visit coincided with the release of a statement from Norfolk Southern saying it would take “full responsibility” for the derailment and Pete Buttigieg confirming he will visit the site on Thursday.

The derailment of a 50-car freight train in East Palestine, Ohio on February 3 released toxic chemicals into the air, soil, and water, forcing the community to evacuate after experiencing some symptoms, such as Headaches. The site is represented on February 4.

Hundreds of people lined the streets waving MAGA flags and chanting ‘no more Joe’ to greet Trump after he landed in the community in his refurbished Trump Force One jet.

The stack of water bottles with the Trump logo on the side was taken to the East Palestine Fire Department for distribution to residents reeling from the derailment 19 days ago.

But some East Palestinian residents feel that a visit at this time by Biden or Buttigieg would be largely futile.

“It’s a bit late,” East Palestine resident William Hugar, 56, told DailyMail.com over breakfast at a local restaurant when asked if Biden should visit.

‘Like I could come, but what for?’ she questioned herself.

“We stand with you,” Trump told the crowd at the East Palestine Fire Department, “we pray for you and we will stay with you as you fight to help you respond and [get] responsibility you deserve.’

‘Biden and FEMA said they would not send federal aid to [the town] under any circumstances,” Trump said. “We opened up the dam and got them to move,” he said, referring to his visit, which the Biden administration has claimed is a photo op.