Trump blames Newsom for California's raging wildfires

President-elect Trump blamed California Gov. Gavin Newsom (D) for the massive wildfires that are blazing through the Los Angeles area, arguing he should have signed a declaration to pump more water through California to prevent the situation.

“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,” Trump said on Truth Social.

The amount of water that can be pumped from the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta is limited under federal and state regulations to protect a fish called the smelt, despite the first Trump administration in 2019 declaring pumping more water from the Delta to supply farms will not endanger the fish, Cal Matters reported at the time.

“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 in his Wednesday post.

“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 continued. "On top of it all, no water for fire hydrants, not firefighting planes. A true disaster!”

Newsom’s office hit back, saying that Trump’s comments about a declaration are “pure fiction.”

“There is no such document as the water restoration declaration – that is pure fiction. The Governor is focused on protecting people, not playing politics, and making sure firefighters have all the resources they need,” Newsom's office said on X.

Newsom and President Biden announced last month new rules to carry water to California farmers, as well as Los Angeles area residents, as a modification to the 2019 Trump-era regulation. Environmental advocates had pushed for the new rule in order to protect fish, including smelt.

Trump, during the 2024 campaign, threatened to withhold federal aid to California wildfires as president if Newsom didn’t change that policy. He said at the time that he would give the Golden State “more water than almost anybody has,” allowing farmers to have full use of their land.

The wildfires that started on Tuesday have killed two people and destroyed more than 1,000 structures. They are growing as of Wednesday while residents try to escape the flames, wind and spoke.

Biden and Newsom spoke by phone on Wednesday. The president is in the Los Angeles area and has been in constant communication with the governor and Los Angeles Mayor Bass’ teams, according to the White House.

The president received a briefing from his team on the latest developments of the Palisades wildfire overnight and is set to receive another briefing from officials on Wednesday afternoon.

Updated at 2:10 p.m. EST

Topics

'He is the blame for this': Trump points finger at Newsom for wildfires

"He is the blame for this," Trump wrote about Newsom on his social media platform Truth Social on Wednesday, but Newsom's office called that "fiction."
ABC News - 5h
Trump blames Biden and California Gov. Gavin Newsom for deadly wildfires

President-elect Donald Trump blamed President Joe Biden and California Gov.
NBC News - 10h
Shares of California utility Edison International drop 10% as wildfires rage

The decline comes as multiple large fires are burning around Los Angeles, with strong winds making them difficult to contain.
CNBC - 12h
Trump blames Newsom for deadly California wildfires

President-elect Donald Trump is blaming California Gov. Gavin Newsom for the wildfires that are spreading in parts of Los Angeles County. CBS News' Caitlin Huey-Burns reports.
CBS News - 15h
DeSantis, longtime Newsom rival, offers help to California amid wildfires

Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis (R) offered assistance to California on Wednesday as the state grapples with severe wildfires in the greater Los Angeles area. “Our prayers are with everyone affected by ...
The Hill - 15h
What We Know About the Wildfires Raging in Southern California

The fast-moving fires are intensifying because of fierce winds, the strongest in Southern California in more than a decade.
The New York Times - 20h
California fire forecast: Wind speeds remain high as wildfires rage

A damaging Santa Ana wind event was peaking early Wednesday and was expected to stay strong through early afternoon.
ABC News - 21h
FirstFT: California declares state of emergency as wildfires rage

Also in today’s newsletter, Facebook ends third-party fact-checking, and analysts turn on Citi’s chief executive
Financial Times - 22h
Gov. Gavin Newsom declares state of emergency as destructive Southern California fires rage

Governor Gavin Newsom has declared a state of emergency for the Pacific Palisades after a massive wildfire erupted on Tuesday, quickly growing to engulf more than 2,900 acres and forcing tens of ...
CBS News - 23h