Trump Blames Amtrak Train Accident On $7 Trillion Spent In Middle East, Gets Backlash
President Donald Trump has addressed the tragic Amtrak train accident that took place in the early morning hours of Monday, December 18. As seen in the first tweet (embedded below), which was published to Trump’s official Twitter account on Monday, the president noted that the Amtrak train accident happened because of failing infrastructure in the U.S.
Trump blamed the $7 trillion that was spent in the Middle East as the reason for the country’s crumbling bridges, railways, tunnels, and roads. However, in the wake of the tweet, President Trump received plenty of swift backlash. The president’s Twitter followers accused him of using the Amtrak tragedy, wherein at least six people died (via ABC7Chicago.com), as a platform to promote a “bogus agenda.” Trump was called “tone deaf” by some social media users who noted that the president’s first tweet about the tragedy was related to politics.
As reported by CBS News in the below tweet, the investigation into the Amtrak derailment is ongoing, so the cause of the crash is not yet known. Once authorities are able to determine more information from the train’s “black box,” a cause of the accident can be discerned. However, with President Trump blaming the derailment on crumbling infrastructure, his tweet is being called a rush to judgment and a premature assessment.
The train accident that just occurred in DuPont, WA shows more than ever why our soon to be submitted infrastructure plan must be approved quickly. Seven trillion dollars spent in the Middle East while our roads, bridges, tunnels, railways (and more) crumble! Not for long!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) December 18, 2017
As if to read the minds and Twitter replies of those criticizing Trump’s first tweet about the Amtrak crash — some of whom were rewriting Trump’s first response on their own timelines — the president followed up his initial tweet with the following one.
My thoughts and prayers are with everyone involved in the train accident in DuPont, Washington. Thank you to all of our wonderful First Responders who are on the scene. We are currently monitoring here at the White House.
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) December 18, 2017
Trump’s follow-up tweet offered his thoughts and prayers to those involved in the tragic Amtrak train accident. Trump also had kudos to offer the emergency personnel who rushed to the scene to help those in trouble. Trump wrote that his team was keeping a close eye on the tragedy.
Washington state Amtrak derailment:
-Total of 77 patients being transported to hospitals in Pierce, Thurston counties
-4 considered level red patients with most severe injuriesFollow here for updates: https://t.co/2CyKkppdRE
— CBS News (@CBSNews) December 18, 2017
While some Twitter users thanked President Trump for his “America First” tweet, others pointed to the below-linked Washington Post article that noted Trump’s budget cut spending for some of Amtrak’s routes.
Liberals are the ones who ACTUALLY care about rebuilding America's infrastructure… Trump cut Amtrak federal aid spending back in May to give tax cuts to billionaires.https://t.co/Kbn8qG7Moi
— LeGate? (@williamlegate) December 18, 2017
Both of the tweets by Trump about the tragic Amtrak train accident are receiving plenty of heated feedback. While Trump fans are thanking him for his words, his detractors are blaming the president’s party for the problems.
