KJP Refuses To Answer Question About Biden Drinking Water In East Palestine

More than a year after a toxic train derailment in East Palestine, Ohio, President Joe Biden is finally planning a trip to the struggling town.

But even though his administration has claimed the water there is safe to drink, the White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre won’t say whether he’s willing to test it for himself.

.@PhilipWegmann: “The reason I ask is despite some of the — the federal assurances, there — there are folks on the ground who are not political —”

KJP: “Yeah.”

Wegmann: “— and are just very concerned, and they — they doubt some of the assurances they got from federal… pic.twitter.com/Tg7gTqjKLy

— Curtis Houck (@CurtisHouck) January 31, 2024

As BizPac Review reported:

“I mean, look, what I can tell you is the president’s focus has been to do everything he can to support this community from day one,” Jean-Pierre replied.

“We get what’s going on on the ground, we understand what’s going on, that’s why we had the EPA and DOT and HHS and FEMA on the ground, you know, this is not about some sort of political stunt here. This is not about this president being a president for everyone and showing up, showing up for this community. That’s what this is about,” she said, not answering the question.

“I’m not going to get into some sort of political stunts about drinking water. We’re going to focus on making sure they have what they need. The president was invited by the mayor and community leaders, he’s going to show up. He always said he’d be there when it was most helpful,” she added.

Jean-Pierre’s remarks and the upcoming trip have been the subject of significant social media discussion.

Joe Biden shows up in East Palestine, OH because it's an election year. 365 days after – too little, too late.

President Trump showed up right away and when it mattered! pic.twitter.com/zyivOQr56u

— Jon Adams (@JonAdams) February 3, 2024

Joe Biden is finally scheduled to visit East Palestine, Ohio one YEAR after the train derailment.

What is even the point anymore? pic.twitter.com/UDNbpTt1cb

— Steve 🇺🇸 (@SteveLovesAmmo) January 31, 2024

East Palestine Resident: Biden's Administration is "Playing Politics With My Daughters' Lives”. pic.twitter.com/1m40PrICYq

— 1776 (@TheWakeninq) February 3, 2024

The mayor of East Palestine technically invited Biden to visit the town, but he clearly has his own misgivings about the president’s lax response.

According to Fox News:

Fox News reached out to East Palestine Mayor Trent Conaway to find out when he thought the most helpful time would be, and he told Fox News, in “my personal opinion the best time for him to come would be February of 2025 when he is on his book tour.”

Conaway additionally told Fox, “The President is always welcome to our town,” adding, “that being said, I don’t know what he would do here now.”

Here’s Conaway discussing the issue even further: