Jean-Pierre Can't Say If Biden Called East Palestine's Mayor After 'Slap in the Face' Remark (February 23, 2023)

Twenty days after a Norfolk Southern train derailed and burned in East Palestine, Ohio, the White House still could not say whether President Biden had spoken to the town’s mayor. “I don’t have a call to read out or a planned conversation,” press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said when a reporter asked [1].

The video above shows that Feb. 23, 2023, exchange. Quotes are from the official White House transcript of the briefing [1]. The question came three days after Mayor Trent Conaway called Biden’s surprise trip to Ukraine “the biggest slap in the face” [2].

”The Biggest Slap in the Face”

Conaway did not hold back when he heard the president had gone to Kyiv. “That was the biggest slap in the face,” he said on Fox News’ “Jesse Watters Primetime” on Feb. 20. “That tells you right now he doesn’t care about us. He can send every agency he wants to, but I found out this morning that he was in Ukraine giving millions of dollars away to people over there and not to us … on President’s Day in our country, so I’m furious” [2].

At the briefing, a reporter asked whether the president had any reaction. Jean-Pierre answered with a list of federal agencies. “We believe that we have had a all-of-government, all- — all-hands approach to this not just with the agencies, but also with the different teams here in the White House,” she said. “So, look, you know, we’re going to hold Norfolk Southern accountable” [1].

”I Don’t Have a Call to Read Out”

Then came the follow-up: “Has the President spoken to the mayor of East Palestine —” a reporter began. “I don’t have —” Jean-Pierre started, as the reporter finished: ”— or does have any plans to?”

“I don’t have a call to read out or a planned conversation,” Jean-Pierre said. “I can tell you, as I’ve mentioned before, the President has spoken to President — pardon me — to Governor DeWine of Ohio and Governor Shapiro of Pennsylvania, and has — has had regular contact. Our teams have had regular contact” [1].

Earlier in the briefing, another reporter had asked why the president had so far decided not to visit. Jean-Pierre said he had been getting updates, including calls with Ohio and Pennsylvania officials while he was in Poland. Asked whether he was satisfied with the federal response, she said: “Yes, he is” [1].

The White House’s Version of the Response

Jean-Pierre opened the briefing with the administration’s case. Federal teams had been on the ground “since 2:00 a.m. on February 4th,” hours after the derailment, she said, and had been working “to hold the railroad company accountable, investigate the derailment, monitor the air and water.” EPA Administrator Michael Regan had visited East Palestine for a second time that Tuesday and ordered Norfolk Southern “to clean up its mess and pay or reimburse for all of the expenses” [1].

She also said Buttigieg had written to Norfolk Southern “to make clear that the industry’s pattern of resisting safety regulations must change” [1]. What she could not offer was a call, a visit or a date from the president himself.

”Is the President Going to Go to Ohio?”

Later, a reporter asked directly. “Is the President going to go to Ohio, Karine?” [1]

“I don’t have a — at this time, I don’t have anything to read out or — or announce on a travel to Ohio. But, once again, we’ve had EPA on the ground. We’ve had DOT. Secretary Buttigieg is there today,” Jean-Pierre answered [1].

”Bad-Faith Attacks” on Buttigieg

Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg was in East Palestine that day, meeting emergency responders, the mayor and the fire chief [1]. Asked whether he went at the president’s direction, Jean-Pierre said: “No, I — look, Secretary Pete went because he believed that it was important for him to go there at this time” [1].

She then went on offense for him. “I do want to say one thing, though, which is there’s been a lot of bad-faith attacks on Secretary Buttigieg,” she said. Pointing to Trump’s transportation secretary, Elaine Chao, she said that “when there was these types of chemical spills, nobody was calling for her to be fired.” “It is — it is pure politics. This is pure political stunts, what they’re doing” [1].

Trump Got There First

The day before the briefing, former President Donald Trump came to town. He pledged support for the people hurt by the derailment, toured a river still being treated with filtration machines, brought thousands of bottles of water for residents and bought McDonald’s meals for the East Palestine fire department, Spectrum News reported [3].

At a press briefing at the fire department, Trump claimed his visit had moved the government. “When I announced that I was coming, [FEMA] changed their tune,” he said. Sen. JD Vance, R-Ohio, who came with him, took aim at the railroad: “They threw the railroad tracks basically the next day over when they should have been cleaning that site” [3].

”Safe and Oder- — Orderly and Humane”

A reporter turned to immigration. “The administration proposed a rule this week that would make migrants ineligible for asylum if they cross the southern border without first asking for refuge in a third country. At least generally speaking, it’s kind of similar to a Trump-era rule,” the reporter said. “Is this rule a recognition that the administration’s early border strategy just isn’t working?” [1]

“So, I — you mentioned — there’s something — there is a huge difference here, which is: What we are providing is expanded legal pathways,” Jean-Pierre said [1].

She said the Department of Homeland Security was using its tools “so that we can deal with the sit- — with this situation and do it in a safe and oder- — orderly and humane way.” Then she added: “And let’s not forget, you know, when it comes to Title 42, it’s going to lift on May 11th.” [1]

By the Numbers

Feb. 3, 2023: the date of the derailment [1].
550-plus: homes federal teams had screened by the time of the briefing, according to the White House [1].
3 times: what the EPA said Norfolk Southern would pay for the cleanup if it did not do the work itself [1].
$310 million: the settlement the Justice Department and EPA reached with Norfolk Southern in May 2024, including a $15 million civil penalty [4].
$600 million: a separate class-action settlement covering residents within 20 miles of the derailment [4].
More than a year: the wait before Biden visited East Palestine [5].

What Happened Next

No FEMA declaration at first. The administration came under fire for refusing to approve a FEMA disaster declaration, arguing the disaster did not meet the legal requirements, even as the agency sent resources to help, Fox News reported [2].

The burn was unnecessary. In June 2024, the National Transportation Safety Board concluded that Norfolk Southern’s decision to “vent and burn” toxic material inside the derailed tank cars, which sent a black smoke plume over the town, was unnecessary. Five of the 50 derailed cars carried vinyl chloride. The board found the derailment was caused by an overheated wheel bearing on a freight car [6].

The railroad paid. The Justice Department and EPA announced their $310 million settlement on May 23, 2024, on top of the proposed $600 million class-action deal [4].

Biden finally came. On Feb. 16, 2024, more than a year after the derailment, Biden toured East Palestine after being invited by the village’s mayor. He praised what he called “Herculean efforts” and announced federal grants to study the health effects. Some people shouted profanity at his motorcade, the AP reported [5].

For more of Jean-Pierre’s answers checked against the record, see the Karine Jean-Pierre record page.