Donald Trump says officials 'indifferent' after Ohio train derailment

Former US President Donald Trump has accused the government of "indifference" and "betrayal" in the wake of a train derailment in Ohio.

During a visit to East Palestine, Mr Trump claimed that his presence had prompted federal officials to dedicate more resources to the town's recovery.

Local residents had previously expressed frustration at what they said was a lack of answers from officials.

Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg is expected to visit on Thursday.

Mr Trump met with East Palestine Mayor Trent Conaway, Ohio Republican Senator JD Vance was also in attendance, alongside Congressman Bill Johnson and his son, Donald Trump Jr.

Speaking at an event at a local fire station, Mr Trump harshly criticised the federal government's response to the derailment.

"We're standing in America… your goodness and perseverance are met with indifference and betrayal in some cases," he said. "When I announced that I was coming, they changed their tune. It was an amazing phenomenon."

Mr Trump's short but meandering speech also included a thinly-veiled jab at US President Joe Biden, saying that he hopes he has "money left over" after a visit to Ukraine earlier this week.

"What this community needs now are not excuses… but answers and results," Mr Trump said.

Mr Trump appeared to receive a warm welcome from some local residents, several hundreds of whom gathered to catch a glimpse of the former president.

Some could be heard chanting "Trump" and "let's go Brandon" - often used as an insult towards Mr Biden. Others jostled to shake his hand or take pictures before the event.

Columbiana County - which includes East Palestine - voted 71.5% in Mr Trump's favour in the 2020 presidential election.

Earlier on Wednesday, Mr Buttigieg announced he would visit the derailment site on Thursday, becoming the second cabinet-level official to do so after Environmental Protection Agency Administrator Michael Regan.

Mr Buttigieg is expected to meet with local residents, as well as with investigators probing the causes of the crash.

In an interview with CBS on Tuesday, Mr Buttigieg conceded he "could have spoken sooner" about the derailment.

"I was focused on just making sure that our folks on the ground were all set, but could have spoken sooner about how strongly I felt about this incident, and that's a lesson learned for me," he said.

Meanwhile, the National Transportation Safety Board is preparing its preliminary repot on derailment, due to be released on Thursday.