Train Catastrophe in East Palestine, Ohio: Is Trump to Blame?

On Saturday morning, a train derailed in East Palestine, Ohio carrying hazardous flammable materials. This catastrophic event has left many people asking who is to blame. Many have pointed the finger at Pete Buttigieg and Joe Biden, but it may actually be President Donald Trump’s fault. It all started back in 2015 when President Obama signed an executive order requiring trains carrying hazardous flammable materials to have Electronic Control Protection (ECP). This technology is designed to prevent accidents like the one that occurred on Saturday by automatically applying brakes if a train is going too fast or is off track. However, this requirement was rescinded by President Trump shortly after he took office in 2017. Since then, there has been no federal mandate for trains carrying hazardous materials to use ECP technology and it appears that the train involved in the accident did not have this feature installed. Without ECP technology, there was nothing preventing this tragedy from occurring and it could be argued that had Trump not rescinded Obama’s executive order requiring its use; the accident would not have happened. While some may argue that it is unfair to place all of the blame on Trump for this catastrophe, it cannot be denied that his decision to rescind Obama’s executive order played a role in what happened on Saturday morning. It remains unclear whether or not any legal action will be taken against Trump or his administration as a result of this tragedy but one thing is certain; if you are blaming Pete Buttigieg or Joe Biden for what happened in East Palestine, Ohio you are dead wrong - it may actually be Trump's fault.