“Fox & Friends First” host Ashley Strohmier took aim at Joy Behar on Friday after “The View” host slammed former president Donald Trump’s visit to Ohio on Thursday’s episode. Trump’s visit came following the East Palestine train derailment, an incident that Behar argued was “his fault.”
On Feb. 3, a 38-car train carrying toxic chemicals derailed, which led to a spill and ignition of multiple tanks in the area. The incident has resulted in the deaths of nearby wildlife, as well as residents having health-related issues connected to the spill.
“I don’t know why they would ever vote for him, for somebody who — by the way, he placed someone with deep ties to the chemical industry in charge of the EPA Chemical Safety Office. That’s who you voted for in that district. Donald Trump, who reduces all safety. He did.” Behar said Thursday, prompting a gasp from the audience.
During Trump’s term as president, his administration ended regular rail safety audits of railroads, withdrew an Obama-era proposal to require faster brakes on trains carrying highly flammable materials (like this train was) and scrapped a rule that would require freight trains to have at least two crew members.
Speaking on Behar’s divisive comments, Strohmier questioned how long the ABC talk show was going to “keep letting her get away with insensitive comments” and continue blaming Trump and his voters for national emergencies like this one.
“Why does Joy Behar say stuff like this?,” she asked co-host Todd Piro. “It just goes to show that she thinks she is just better than everyone else, especially people in the heartland, in the middle of America.”
She then shifted the conversation to President Biden.
“Whether Trump changed the regulations or not, what stopped Biden from doing all those executive orders the first day in office?,” she said. “I mean, it’s not an excuse anymore.”
“Fox & Friends First” weren’t Behar’s only critics. Her former View co-host Meghan McCain called her comments “evil” on Thursday.
“The people of east Palestine are currently in fear that they and their children will be getting cancer or worse from the derailment toxins in their land or water,” McCain wrote. “This is just an evil thing to say. I would say I can’t fathom this level of cruelty and elitism but sadly…I can.”
Watch the full “Fox & Friends First” segment in the video above.
