Governor Gavin Newsom greets President Donald Trump and First Lady Melania Trump on the tarmac in Los Angeles on January 24, 2025. Photo courtesy of the office of the Governor.

Wildfire Recovery Becomes a Political Battlefield as Trump Threatens to Impose Conditions on California Aid

 

By Santa Clarita Star Staff

01/25/2024 at 5:30 PM

Former President Donald Trump visited Los Angeles after touring hurricane-stricken North Carolina, offering federal aid to the latter while imposing conditions, such as voter ID laws and water policy changes, on California’s recovery efforts. His controversial remarks blaming California’s water management for the wildfires drew sharp criticism from Gov. Gavin Newsom and state leaders, who labeled the claims as misinformation and political posturing. Meanwhile, California is pressing ahead with a $2.5 billion recovery plan, deploying resources to prevent mudslides, accelerate rebuilding, and provide immediate relief to affected communities.

 

 

LOS ANGELES, CA – President Donald Trump arrived in Los Angeles on Friday after touring North Carolina, where he pledged more federal support for recovery efforts following Hurricane Helene. His visit to Los Angeles was overshadowed by controversy over his conditions for federal disaster relief aid to Los Angeles. As communities reel from the devastation, Trump’s divisive rhetoric overshadowed the urgent need for unity and recovery. Despite this, state and local officials in California have been working to get help to those affected by the fires.

 

After touring North Carolina in the morning of January 24, Trump expressed his willingness to support hurricane recovery in North Carolina, a state he won in the 2024 election, but promised to impose conditions on California, a state he lost. Trump’s remarks were met with swift condemnation from elected officials in California.

 

“We're gonna do a lot for North Carolina,” Trump stated. “They’ve been very slow. I don’t know why it’s been so bad. This is one of the worst I’ve seen. Katrina was something that was a long time ago. That was not good. I don’t know if that was for political reasons, ’cause they lost the state. Biden lost the state. Maybe felt that he doesn’t care. Maybe there were other reasons, I don’t know.”

 

Trump’s tone shifted significantly when discussing California.

 

“In California, I have a condition. We want them to have voter IDs so the people have a voice. Right now, the people don’t have a voice ’cause you don’t know who’s voting. It’s very corrupt. And we also want them to release the water. If they released the water, they wouldn’t have had a problem.”

 

Contrary to Trump's assertions, the Biden Administration, in partnership with FEMA, actually announced a groundbreaking initiative to aid recovery efforts immediately following Hurricanes Helene and Milton, which caused widespread devastation in North Carolina. FEMA provided nearly $2 billion in federal assistance to North Carolina under the Biden administration, including $1.2 billion for individual and community support, as well as $524 million for debris removal and public safety. There is no evidence that anyone in the Biden-Harris administration refused aid to North Carolina for political reasons.

 

Trump told reporters Friday that he may sign an executive order to "get rid" of the agency, citing what he claimed was excessive bureaucracy.

 

"You want to use your state to fix it and not waste time calling FEMA," Trump stated. "And then FEMA gets here and they don't know the area. They've never been to the area, and they want to give you rules that you've never heard about. They want to bring people that aren't as good as the people you already have. And FEMA has turned out to be a disaster."

 

Eliminating FEMA requires more than an executive order, however; it needs Congressional approval.

 

Trump’s Baseless Claims on California Water Policies

Trump doubled down on a claim he made earlier this month on Truth Social, alleging that Gov. Gavin Newsom withheld water that could have prevented wildfires. On Jan. 8, Trump wrote, "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. 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. 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. On top of it all, no water for fire hydrants, not firefighting planes. A true disaster!"

 

Trump accused Newsom of prioritizing an endangered fish, the delta smelt, over the needs of Californians, claiming that the lack of water exacerbated the wildfires. He also suggested that the state lacked water for fire hydrants and firefighting planes, calling the situation “a true disaster.”

 

Newsom quickly dismissed Trump’s allegations, stating on social media, “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 emphasized that California has ample water resources for firefighting and accused Trump of spreading misinformation to score political points.

 

"If the President wants to work to build up and invest in our municipal water infrastructure, we would welcome his support on that," Sen. Alex Padilla posted on social media. "Now was a nearby reservoir off-line and emptied for maintenance? Yes. And that also needs to be looked at and addressed going forward. But that has nothing to do with how much water is flowing from the north into the region. Trump is intentionally weaponizing the suffering of thousands of families from the wildfires in order to yet again wage his war on California. Either that, or he simply doesn’t know what he’s talking about."

 

For years, President Trump has claimed that California poorly managed forests, saying that the state needs to “rake” forest floors to prevent fires. After wildfires burned Paradise, California in 2018, Trump pointed to Finland as an example of a nation that “rakes” forest floors to prevent forest fires, a comment that was met with laughter and ridicule on social media in Finland. Trump’s finger-pointing only deflected blame from the federal government or his own administration.

 

“I’ll remind folks, 57% of all forest land is under federal jurisdiction in the state of California. Just 3% under state jurisdiction,” Newsom said in a video while standing near Castaic Lake during the Hughes Fire.

 

Partisan Fallout and Backlash

Trump’s comments have drawn criticism from California leaders, who accuse the former president of weaponizing disaster aid. Sen. Padilla denounced Trump’s remarks.

"Disaster aid isn’t a political bargaining chip," Padilla wrote on social media. "Trump says he’ll only approve aid for fire victims if the state implements voter ID? This is nothing but pure political payback for a state that refused to support him in his last three presidential bids. For six years, I oversaw California’s elections. So let me be clear: California’s elections are free, fair, and secure."

 

California State and Federal Leaders Step Up

The Hughes Fire is just one example of the devastating wildfires that have ravaged California in recent weeks, displacing thousands and leaving communities like Castaic to pick up the pieces. Local leaders, such as Assemblywoman Pilar Schiavo (D-AD40) and Rep. George Whitesides (R-CA27}, have been on the ground, ensuring residents have the support they need.

 

Despite Trump’s rhetoric, California leaders have been working to provide relief to wildfire victims. Earlier this week, Newsom signed a $2.5 billion wildfire recovery package, the largest in state history. The legislation provides critical funding for rebuilding homes and schools, accelerates permitting processes, and ensures oversight and accountability in disaster spending.

 

Assemblywoman Pilar Schiavo (D-AD40), who represents Santa Clarita and Chatsworth, co-authored AB 301, which aims to streamline state permitting for rebuilding efforts.

 

“This historic investment will help families rebuild faster and ensure that state agencies act with the same urgency as local governments,” Schiavo stated in a press release. “With billions in funding and new accountability measures, we are making sure communities have the resources they need to recover and rebuild. There is a long road ahead for those impacted and we will be here to support those impacted every step of the way.”

 

In addition to state-led efforts, over 400 members of the California Conservation Corps and 80 National Guard service members are working around the clock to mitigate mudslide risks in fire-damaged areas.

 

At the federal level, U.S. Senators Alex Padilla and Adam Schiff (D-Calif.) have joined bipartisan efforts to pass the Honoring Our Fallen Heroes Act. This legislation expands federal support under the Public Safety Officer Benefits (PSOB) program to include families of firefighters and first responders who die or are permanently disabled from service-related cancers. Currently, the PSOB program covers line-of-duty injuries and certain illnesses, but not cancer caused by hazardous exposure. The bill, backed by a broad coalition of public safety organizations, ensures firefighters and their families receive the support they deserve for their sacrifices.

 

The White House did not invite Governor Newsom to any events with President Trump during his visit to Los Angeles. Newsom met Trump on the tarmac when he arrived anyway. He greeted both the President and First Lady as they stepped off of Air Force One.

 

The Road Ahead

As California grapples with the long-term impacts of the wildfires, the political divide over disaster aid highlights broader tensions between state and federal leadership. While Trump’s remarks have fueled controversy, state officials remain focused on recovery efforts.

 

Sen. Adam Schiff summarized the sentiment among California leaders. "It’s hard to comprehend the scope of the devastation without seeing it," Schiff wrote on social media. "We can and will disagree on other issues, but need to work together to help people recover and rebuild."

 

Trump seemed to agree. “I don’t think you can realize how rough it is, how devastating it is until you see it," Trump told state and local leaders in Los Angeles. “I didn't realize. It is devastation. It’s incredible. It’s really an incineration.”

Santa Clarita Weekly

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