Biden’s East Palestine Visit Detailed – Somewhat

EAST PALESTINE, Ohio – President Joe Biden’s visit to East Palestine on Friday will be short, and the location of his stops in the village have not been released.

According to the White House’s daily schedule, Biden will fly to Pittsburgh, Pa., arriving about 2:25 p.m. before making the 40-minute drive to East Palestine. While in the village, Biden is expected to receive an operation briefing from officials on the continuing response and recovery efforts about 4:20 p.m.

That will be followed by remarks he will make on how the Biden-Harris administration is holding Norfolk Southern accountable for the derailment and working with state and local officials to support the community moving forward, the schedule says.

“The President will discuss his commitment to ensuring the people of East Palestine are not defined by this single event and that his Administration is delivering on the needs of affected families, businesses and residents,” the schedule reads.

The schedule releases no further stops but does not have Biden departing from Pittsburgh until 7:35 p.m., on his way eventually to Rehoboth Beach in Delaware. The schedule also does not say who, if anyone, from the village Biden will be meeting with, but the invite for his visit was made by Mayor Trent Conaway at the behest of some residents.

The president’s visit comes more than a year after the Feb. 3, 2023, derailment and is the fulfillment of a promise that he would stop in East Palestine when the time was right.

Columbiana County Republicans will have a Make America Great Again rally near the East Palestine fire station and the railroad tracks, according to the party’s Facebook page.

Pictured at top: President Joe Biden boards Air Force One at Andrews Air Force Base in Maryland on Jan. 27, 2024. (AP Photo | Jacquelyn Martin, File)

Copyright 2024 The Business Journal, Youngstown, Ohio.