WASHINGTON — Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg will visit East Palestine, Ohio, on Thursday to view the site of the recent train derailment that led to a spill of toxic chemicals into the community.
The visit, confirmed by NBC News, will come a day after former President Donald Trump’s planned visit to the area.
Republicans have called on Buttigieg to resign after the train derailment, claiming he has been slow to react to the disaster. Buttigieg, however, tweeted last week that his department’s ability to regulate the rail system is “constrained by law” because of a braking rule withdrawn by the Trump administration.
White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre defended Buttigieg when she was asked about the criticisms from Democrats and Republicans.
“We do have absolute confidence” in Buttigieg, Jean-Pierre said at a news briefing.
Source: | This article originally belongs to Nbcnews.com
