In the Ohio community ravaged by a toxic railway catastrophe, former president Donald Trump delivered cases of his own brand of bottled Trump Water.
On his arrival in East Palestine on Wednesday, Trump declared that he was “bringing water, Trump water, indeed, most of it” to families in the affected area.
Trump stood next to a pallet of his waters, each labelled in light blue and with the words “Trump spring water.”
Trump continued, “Part of it, we had to move to a much worse quality water.”
The percentage of Trump’s donated bottles that were his own brand was not immediately known.
Former President Donald Trump stands next to a pallet of water before delivering remarks at the East Palestine Fire Department station on Wednesday (Picture: Getty Images)
Trump arrived in East Palestine hours before President Joe Biden’s Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg was set to visit the town. A freight train carrying hazardous materials derailed there on February 3 and burned for two days, and officials conducted a controlled burn to release hydrogen chloride and phosgene.
The former president also brought 13 pallets of food to families. Trump then went to a local McDonald’s and ordered Big Macs for first responders.
‘I know this menu better than you do. I probably know it better than anybody in here,’ Trump, a known McDonald’s fan, told a server at the fast food restaurant. Trump asked the workers to ‘knock it out fast’ so he could eat on his plane.
Trump boarded his Trump Force One plane as Biden flew back from a three-day trip to Eastern Europe that included a visit to Ukraine ahead of the one-year anniversary of Russia’s full-scale invasion.
Biden has faced criticism from some Americans for flying to Ukraine instead of visiting East Palestine.
Hundreds of people in the Ohio town chanted ‘no more Joe’ and waved MAGA flags as Trump landed.
Speaking from a fire department station, Trump told residents that they were ‘not forgotten’ and praised their ‘strength and courage’.
When asked what he would say to Biden, Trump said: ‘Get over here.’