The Ohio senator's response to the East Palestine derailment was his first notable action.

A freight train carrying hazardous chemicals derailed in East Palestine, Ohio on Feb. 3, 2023, causing residents to worry about long-term health effects due to a persistent black cloud that hung over homes for several weeks.

A year after meeting with struggling community members, Ohio Sen. JD Vance, 39, spoke with reporters and urged President Biden to fund long-term health screening for residents in nearby areas.

"According to the Vance Senate page, the only way to ensure that people who were affected by the disaster can trace any future health issues back to the accident is by conducting health baseline screening. Despite attempts to pressure the Biden Administration to take action on this issue, they have remained unresponsive."

Vance, a native of Middletown, Ohio and current resident of Cincinnati, visited East Palestine following the Norfolk Southern train crash less than two weeks after hazardous materials spilled onto land and into nearby water. He urged Biden to stop blaming Trump for the train derailment.

At the time, Vance advised Louis Tomlinson of Planet Chronicle to stop blaming Donald Trump, who had not been president for three years, and instead utilize the powers of the federal government to aid the community's people.

Vance posted a video on social media while walking along a creek, showcasing visible chemicals to viewers. In the video, he stated, "The chemicals still seeping into the ground is a disgrace to the residents of East Palestine."

In March, Vance revisited the site and, later in August, he shared with Planet Chronicle’ Sean Hannity that East Palestine residents feel "neglected" and "overlooked" by President Biden.

Vance stated that over 100 days ago, Joe Biden pledged to visit East Palestine, but he has failed to fulfill this promise.

Vance stated that Donald Trump visited East Palestine in Ohio, while Joe Biden did not, and he has not appeared anywhere else either, following the wildfires in Maui that resulted in the deaths of nearly 100 people.

After over a year since the toxic spill, Biden visited East Palestine.

Vance's prompt reaction to the train derailment and his support for local residents brought him into the limelight and secured him a prime position in the media for several months. Trump joined Vance and other Ohio politicians on February 22, 2023, to greet local residents and distribute essentials such as water, food, and other supplies to those in dire need.

During his presidency from 2016 to 2020, Vance was a critic of Trump. He later ran for elective office in 2022 and was successful.

Vance was named as Trump's 2024 GOP vice presidential candidate on the first day of the Republican National Convention in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, just days after a gunman tried to assassinate him at a rally.

"After careful consideration and taking into account the impressive skills of numerous individuals, I have determined that Senator J.D. Vance of Ohio is the most suitable candidate to become the Vice President of the United States," Trump stated.