Newsom blasts Trump for 'threatening our first responders'

California Gov. Gavin Newsom (D) slammed President-elect Trump for politicizing the Los Angeles wildfires and said he is “threatening our first responders.”

In an interview with NBC News’s “Meet the Press” on Sunday, Newsom continued his criticisms of Trump as the fires continue burning the populated neighborhoods in California.

Newsom was asked about Trump blaming the governor for the crisis and threatening to withhold federal support for the state once he retakes office.

The California Democrat pointed out that Trump has threatened many states and many politicians he disagrees with.

“He said, 'I’m not going to support the firefighting efforts. I’m not going to support the state of California as it relates to its emergency management.' He made this pretty clear during the election 'unless they do my bidding,'" Newsom said.

He added that it’s Trump’s “style” to threaten people, and as he prepares to retake office, Newsom is taking it a bit more seriously.

Newsom said he has called for Trump to look at the fire destruction himself. He said he respects that Trump won the election but also noted that the state had received immediate federal support from President Biden.

“We have a president of the United States that within 36 hours provided a major disaster declaration over a text. We had support from the president of the United States, Joe Biden, with 100 percent reimbursement, all the resources you could hope for, imagine constant communication,” Newsom said.

“I’d like to extend that to the president-elect,” he continued.

Trump criticized Newsom by saying he should have signed a declaration to pump additional water through California to avert the fires. Current regulations limit the amount of water that can be pumped from the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta in order to protect a fish called smelt.

Newsom said in the interview that he’s unsure of what Trump is referring to in regard to the smelt.

“The reservoirs are completely full, the state reservoirs here in Southern California,” he said. “That mis- and disinformation I don’t think advantages or aids any of us.”

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