MSNBC’s “Morning Joe” co-host Mika Brzezinski called out Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg on Thursday for not visiting East Palestine, Ohio, sooner.
The panel noted that Buttigieg is facing a slew of criticism for having yet to visit the small town, where a massive train derailment resulted in the spilling of toxic chemicals. The train derailed Feb. 3, prompting evacuations and shelter-in-place orders. Authorities tried to clear the scene and perform a “controlled vent and burn” to avoid a “catastrophic” explosion into the water and air.
Buttigieg told George Stephanopoulos on Monday he is “planning to go” to the town but did not provide a specific timeframe.
The panel was in agreement that Buttigieg should have visited sooner, with Brzezinski laying out the point.
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“The transportation secretary, Pete Buttigieg, did make it clear he should have gone there sooner. Let’s put a pin on that. He should have gone there sooner, and the White House should have done a better job, even though they are in a major transatlantic moment dealing with the future of the safety of the world,” Brzezinski said. (RELATED: ‘So Creepy’: Pete Buttigieg Taking Photo Of DCNF Reporter Sparks Backlash)
“The people of East Palestine need to feel seen and heard, and I think that Pete Buttigieg is taking it on board that he needs to go there and do that. These are people who, right now, are very uncertain about their health and the future of their town.”
“It is definitely a little bit of a bump for the White House to not make sure they shined a big light on what was happening there and, hopefully, in the days and weeks to come, they’ll be able to do that,” she added.
Buttigieg has acknowledged he should have spoken out about the derailment sooner than he did.
“We have been on the ground literally from day one to make sure that we’re doing our part to support. I do think it’s important to speak out about that, and I could have spoken sooner, and I’m making sure that we are focused on the actions that are gonna make a difference,” Buttigieg said.