Former President Donald Trump will reportedly donate a trove of supplies to locals affected by the dangerous chemical spill in East Palestine, Ohio, during his Wednesday visit.
Trump is expected to meet with locals and draw a contrast with President Joe Biden. The president has not yet traveled to the beleaguered community but recently traveled to Ukraine.
OHIO TRAIN DERAILMENT: BUTTIGIEG SAYS HE'S 'PLANNING TO GO' TO EAST PALESTINE
"Those are great people, and they were abandoned," Trump previously told Just the News. "I'll be spending some time in Ohio, where [Biden] should be. And frankly, FEMA should have been there a long time ago; I announced that I was going, and all of a sudden, people sending a lot of money now."
Trump will be joined by an entourage of Ohio Republicans, including Sen. J.D. Vance, Rep. Bill Johnson, State Rep. Monica Robb-Blasdel, and State Sen. Michael Rulli, sources told Fox News.
He will give 13 pallets of water, which each contain several thousand water bottles and thousands of gallons of cleaning supplies to the community, according to the report. Trump will also reportedly collaborate with nonprofit organizations KORTX and Blue Line Moving.
East Palestine was rocked by the derailment of a Norfolk Southern freight train transporting dangerous chemicals such as vinyl chloride and combustible liquids on Feb. 3. Thousands of nearby residents were forced to evacuate their homes in response, though some have been permitted to return amid concerns over the toxic chemicals.
Vinyl chloride has been linked to liver damage and a rare form of liver cancer. Fearing an explosion from the festering chemicals, officials moved to do a controlled burn, but then a black plume triggered concerns that there could be additional toxic material unleashed on the nearby environment.
Residents have reported a range of symptoms following the derailment fallout.
Biden recently gave an update on the derailment fiasco and backed the EPA plan to make Norfolk Southern foot the bill for cleanup efforts.
"This is common sense. This is their mess. They should clean it up," Biden tweeted.
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Meanwhile, Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg has faced criticism for his slow public response to the crisis, but he has maintained that he plans to visit the community. EPA Administrator Michael Regan has already visited the community.
Buttigieg and others have blamed the Trump administration for loosening some rules they argue contributed to the crisis.