The California Department of Water Resources (CDWR) is pushing back against a recent claim by former President Donald Trump that the U.S. military came into California and “turned on the water” following the wildfires that caused major damage around Los Angeles.
Trump made the statement in a post on Truth Social late Monday, writing: “The United States Military just entered the Great State of California and, under Emergency Powers, TURNED ON THE WATER flowing abundantly from the Pacific Northwest, and beyond. The days of putting a Fake Environmental argument, over the PEOPLE, are OVER. Enjoy the water, California!!!”
But the CDWR quickly shot down the claim. The department clarified that the federal government, not the military, was responsible for restarting the water pumps, which had been temporarily turned off for maintenance.
“The military did not enter California,” the CDWR said in a post on X, around 1 a.m. EST on Tuesday. “The federal government restarted federal water pumps after they were offline for maintenance for three days.”
The CDWR also reassured Californians that water supplies in Southern California are still abundant.
Trump has been vocal about his criticism of California’s water policies, especially in the context of the wildfires that have burned more than 57,000 acres and killed at least 28 people.
State Senate Pro Tempore Mike McGuire (D) also responded to Trump’s comments, emphasizing that the claim about water from the Pacific Northwest wasn’t true.
“First off, shocker, water from the Pacific Northwest doesn’t flow to the Central Valley,” McGuire wrote on X. “Second, federal water pumps were down for repair and are now back on. Third, rest assured, the military has not invaded the delta. Facts are hard.”
Trump had also ordered U.S. government agencies to take immediate action to “override existing activities” that might hold back water deliveries. This move came after he suggested last week that federal help for California could depend on releasing more water from northern California and pushing for “Voter ID, so that the people have a chance to vote.”
His order stated: “Firefighters were unable to fight the blaze due to dry hydrants, empty reservoirs, and inadequate water infrastructure. It is in the Nation’s interest to ensure that California has what it needs to prevent and fight these fires and others in the future.”
The back-and-forth between Trump and California Gov. Gavin Newsom has continued over water issues. Newsom had welcomed Trump to Los Angeles last week to look at the wildfire damage, and suggested that the two might work together to address the problems.