Biden: ‘Can’t Recall’ if and ‘Don’t Think’ I’ve Talked to East Palestine Mayor, ‘I’ve Talked to Everyone There Is to Talk to’

During a portion of an interview aired on Friday’s edition of ABC’s “World News Tonight,” President Joe Biden stated that he “can’t recall” if he’s talked to the mayor of East Palestine, Ohio and doesn’t think he has, but he’s “talked to everyone there is to talk to,” and responded to questioning on whether he has any plans to visit by stating that he’s “made it clear that everything is available.”

Host David Muir asked, “It’s been three weeks now since the toxic train derailment in East Palestine, Ohio, as you know. The mayor says he saw you in Ukraine and he says, it tells you he doesn’t care about us. They’re asking, is the President coming to Ohio? Do you have any plan to travel to Ohio, and have you talked with the mayor yet?”

Biden answered, “Let’s put this in perspective, within two hours of that derailment, the EPA was in there, within two hours. Every major agency in the United States government that’s had anything to do with rail and/or cleanup was there and is there. In addition to that, I’ve spoken at length to the congresspersons, the governors, the senators from both [the] states of Pennsylvania and Ohio. And I’ve made it clear to them, anything they need is available or we’ll make it available to them. Whatever happens there, we’ve got to understand, it’s the responsibility of the railroad company who’s made, by the way, tens of billions of dollars in profits, tens of billions of dollars in profits lately.”

Muir followed up, “So do you plan to travel there and have you talked with the mayor?”

Biden responded, “I can’t recall whether I’ve — I don’t think I’ve talked to the mayor. I’ve talked to everyone else there, multiple times. I’ve talked to both the senators, both governors, I’ve talked to everyone there is to talk to, and we’ve made it clear that everything is available.”

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