As Joe Biden prances around Europe and cuts checks to the Ukraine, former President Donald Trump visited East Palestine, Ohio. There, he delivered water to residents who have been warned not to drink the tap water amid the fallout of the disastrous Norfolk Southern train wreck in the town.
But that’s not all he did. He also bought many of the residents meals from McDonald’s while he there. That came after he delivered remarks at the town’s fire station and headed over to the nearby McDonald’s. There, he bought meals for East Palestine’s police department, the fire department, and everyone else from East Palestine who happened to be in that McDonald’s.
Walking into the McDonald’s to make the gesture, he said “So is everybody willing to accept free food from Trump?” Continuing, he then walked up to the cashier and said “We’re going to take care of the fire department, we’re going to take care of the police department, plus the people that are in here. They’re going to get a nice, free meal.” Then, joking with the cashiers, Trump said “I know this menu probably better than you do. I probably know it better than anyone in here.”
Donald Trump to McDonald’s employees: “I know this menu better than you do. I probably know it better than anyone in here.”
— ALX (@alx) February 22, 2023
Those residents in the restaurant evidently were willing to accept a meal from him, as they crowded about him and enjoyed the burgers while he handed out signed hats.
Trump then, speaking to Breitbart News, slammed Biden and said “I think he should’ve come here. I think he should’ve been here. He should’ve been here, and he chose to go a different route.” Similarly, when asked what his message to Biden is, he said “get over here”.
Just in: The press just asked Trump what is his message for Joe Biden. Presumably Trump responded by saying, “Get over here”pic.twitter.com/9qkfaH2B1U
— The Calvin Coolidge Project (@TheCalvinCooli1) February 22, 2023
Trump also tore into Mayor Pete Buttigieg, as Breitbart reported, saying:
The 45th president also responded to U.S. Secretary of Transportation Pete Buttigieg falsely claiming that a proposed rule regarding ECP brakes that the Department of Transportation (DOT) withdrew in 2018 was to blame for the train disaster in East Palestine.
“It had nothing to do with it,” Trump said. “We’re like a third-world nation, and this is an example of it, the breakdown.”
“Our whole country is breaking down, and [Buttigieg]’s really got to look at the airports because I have people that are taking planes, and they’re delayed. They’re waiting in an airport for three days. It’s crazy what’s happening,” Trump added.
Trump also stated that Buttigieg “should have been here [East Palestine] a long time ago.”
Trump also said, when asked if the East Palestine water was safe to drink, “It will be safe soon because FEMA is now coming in. FEMA was not coming and now they’re coming in.”
A different Breitbart also added that “Moreover, roughly half of East Palestine’s population was ordered to evacuate, and while they have since been told that it is safe to return home — and even drink the water — many residents remain worried. But Biden and Buttigieg are nowhere to be found.”
Featured image credit: screengrab from embedded Twitter video of Trump in the McDonald’s
"*" indicates required fields