California Governor Gavin Newsom slammed Donald Trump on Wednesday for using the devastating Los Angeles wildfires as a political weapon. As flames forced families to evacuate and destroyed homes, Trump seized the moment to launch baseless attacks on Newsom, blaming the Democrat for the crisis.
Trump posted on Truth Social, claiming without evidence that Newsom’s policies were to blame: “He is the blame for this. Governor Gavin Newscum 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.”
Newsom’s office quickly shot down Trump’s comments, labeling them as “pure fiction.” Experts, too, have long pointed out that California’s wildfires are fueled by climate change, drought, and development in fire-prone areas—not the type of water policies Trump referenced.
Speaking with CNN’s Anderson Cooper, Newsom refused to let Trump’s remarks overshadow the immediate crisis. “People are literally fleeing. People have lost their lives. Kids lost their schools, families completely torn asunder, churches burned down,” he said. “This guy wanted to politicize it.”
Newsom added, “I stood next to a president of the United States of America today, and I was proud to be with Joe Biden. He had the backs of every single person in this community. He didn’t play politics, didn’t try to divide any of us.”
Trump’s comments fit a pattern of using natural disasters to attack political opponents. In 2018, he infamously blamed California’s deadly wildfires on poor forest management, even though many of the affected areas were federally managed. His attacks often deflect from broader environmental challenges and longstanding bipartisan calls for wildfire prevention and climate action.
As California continues to battle one of its most destructive wildfire seasons, Newsom urged focus on solutions, not division. “This is about saving lives, not scoring political points,” he said.
Watch the clip below via CNN:
BREAKING: Gavin Newsom just went after Donald Trump for politicizing the California wildfires. This is true leadership. pic.twitter.com/uUBgsI9BPS
— Democratic Wins Media (@DemocraticWins) January 9, 2025
