As wildfires ravage Los Angeles County, leaving destruction in their wake, President Joe Biden and California Governor Gavin Newsom have been working tirelessly to address the crisis. However, former President Donald Trump has used this tragedy as an opportunity to launch political attacks, blaming Newsom for the fires and making unsubstantiated claims about water management.
President Biden has committed federal resources to help California’s recovery efforts. After approving an emergency declaration requested by Newsom, Biden assured the public that aid is on the way. “It’s going to take time,” Biden warned, emphasizing the scale of the damage.
Newsom expressed gratitude for the federal support, highlighting the partnership needed to confront the devastation.
Meanwhile, firefighting crews have resumed aerial operations after extreme winds had grounded aircraft, allowing them to drop fire retardant and water on the flames. The Pacific Palisades Fire, described as the most destructive in Los Angeles history, has already destroyed 1,000 structures, with damages estimated to exceed $50 billion. Hollywood has also felt the impact, with major studios halting productions and facilities closing to ensure safety.
In stark contrast to Biden’s efforts, Trump has used the wildfire crisis to settle political scores. On his social media platform, Truth Social, Trump accused Newsom of rejecting a non-existent “water restoration declaration,” which he claimed could have prevented the fires.
Referring to the governor as “Newscum,” Trump said the California governor “refused to sign the water restoration declaration put before him that would have allowed millions of gallons of water, from excess rain and snow melt from the North, to flow daily into many parts of California, including the areas that are currently burning in a virtually apocalyptic way.”
“He wanted to protect an essentially worthless fish called a smelt, by giving it less water (it didn’t work!), but didn’t care about the people of California,” Trump added. “Now the ultimate price is being paid. I will demand that this incompetent governor allow beautiful, clean, fresh water to FLOW INTO CALIFORNIA! He is the blame for this. On top of it all, no water for fire hydrants, not firefighting planes. A true disaster!”
Newsom’s office called Trump’s claim “pure fiction”, stating in a tweet: “there is no such document as the water restoration declaration,” adding that Newsom “is focused on protecting people, not playing politics, and making sure firefighters have all the resources they need.”
Trump’s public attacks extended beyond misinformation. This pattern of settling political scores, even at the expense of American lives, has been a hallmark of Trump’s rhetoric. In September, Newsom accused Trump of threatening to withhold emergency disaster funds out of spite.
