President-elect Trump has cast blame on California Gov. Gavin Newsom (D) for the raging wildfires in the Los Angeles region, most recently calling for him to resign.
“One of the best and most beautiful parts of the United States of America is burning down to the ground,” Trump posted to Truth Social late Wednesday evening. “It’s ashes, and Gavin Newscum should resign. This is all his fault!!!”
The president-elect’s criticism of Newsom has sparked a political battle over the fires that have killed at least five people and are far from contained.
Trump said earlier Wednesday that Newsom should have signed a declaration to pump additional water through California to avert the situation, casting blame on the Democratic governor. Currently, regulations limit the amount of water that can be pumped from the nearby Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta in order to protect a fish called the smelt.
“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,” he posted online. “On top of it all, no water for fire hydrants, not firefighting planes. A true disaster!”
During his first administration, the president-elect issued a declaration that pumping more water from the Delta to supply farms would not hurt the fish. The incoming commander-in-chief made a similar argument Wednesday, claiming the smelt were “essentially worthless.”
