Republicans in Congress criticized President Joe Biden’s surprise visit to Ukraine on Monday, taking issue with the president appearing to place the Ukraine-Russia conflict ahead of Americans’ worries about the recent toxic train derailment in Ohio and the surge in illegal migration at the southern border.
“Joe Biden prioritizing a visit to Ukraine before East Palestine, Ohio is the perfect example of his administration putting America last,” House Majority Whip Tom Emmer (R-MN) said in a statement provided to Breitbart News.
In Ohio’s small village of East Palestine, a 150-car Norfolk Southern train carrying hazardous material derailed this month, prompting a state-ordered evacuation and anxiety throughout the region that toxic chemicals may have spread through the air or contaminated the water. Ohio’s Democrat and Republican U.S. senators have since called on the Environmental Protection Agency to immediately provide evidence of testing and monitoring on behalf of the area’s residents as concerns about the safety of the area remain high.
Biden has so far declined to visit East Palestine, while, by contrast, former President Donald Trump has planned a visit there this week.
