Buttigieg Calls on Trump to Support Reversing Train Safety Deregulation That Happened Under His Watch

Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg spoke to the press from East Palestine, Ohio where he expressed regret for not publicly addressing the train derailment earlier, but also called on former President Donald Trump to step up and call for more train safety regulations.

“You mentioned a national political figure who decided to get involved. It sounds like you’re talking about Trump. And then you said, ‘I need your help. How can he help?’” a reporter asked Buttigieg.

“Well, one thing he could do is express support for reversing the deregulation that happened on his watch. I heard him say he had nothing to do with it, even though it was in his administration,” Buttigieg replied, adding:

So if he had nothing to do with it and they did it in his administration against his will, maybe he could come out and say that he supports us moving in a different direction. And we’re not afraid to own our policies when it comes to raising the bar on regulation.

And I’ve got to think that him indicating that this is something that everybody, no matter how much you disagree on, politics and presidential campaigns, can get behind. Higher fines, tougher regulations on safety, Congress on tying our hands on braking rules, all the other things that go with it. That’ll be a nice thing for him to do.

Trump, who visited East Palestine on Wednesday, ripped into the Biden administration and claimed that the “red state” community had been ignored by the federal government for political reasons. Local Republican officials, from the state’s governor to the area’s congressman, have refuted that accusation, praising the federal response.

Many media pundits and observers have pointed the finger in various directions following the accident and subsequent release of toxic chemicals, with Buttigieg and President Joe Biden being targeted on the right. Other critics have blamed Ohio Governor Mike DeWine (R) and local leaders for not accepting federal help when it was offered immediately after the accident.

Trump has also come under fire, including from the White House, for ending certain train safety rules during his time in office. Politico detailed in a report on Wednesday the various regulations rolled back during Trump’s time in office, including regular train and track safety audits and an Obama-era rule that required trains to upgrade to faster brakes if carrying toxic or flammable materials.

Watch the full clip above.