When President Donald Trump touches down in California on Friday to investigate the devastating wildfires that destroyed metropolitan Los Angeles this month, the state’s Democratic governor will be among the officials greeting him.
But Gov. Gavin Newsom has not been invited.
“I thank the President and look forward to being on the tarmac to welcome him and make sure he is provided with the resources he needs for a successful briefing.”Los Angeles.
Trump has repeatedly criticized newspapers for their handling of the unfathomable crisis as fires broke out earlier this month that killed nearly 30 people and forced tens of thousands to flee their homes. He called on Newsom to resign, accusing him of mismanaging forestry and water policy and pointing to a fierce backlash over a lack of preparedness.
Uninvited, Newsom says he’ll be on the runway to say hello and play a quick card
People look at smoke and flames from the Pacific Palisades area wildfire on January 7, 2025 in Los Angeles, California. (Tiffany Rose/Getty Images)
“Gavin Newscam should resign. This is his fault!!!” Trump charged in a social media post on January 8.
And in his first Oval Office interview since returning to power at the White House, Trump told Fox News’ Sean Hannity this week.
“It’s been a week and a half. I’ve never seen anything like it. We look so weak,” Trump claimed in an appearance on Fox News’ “Hannity.” The blaze occurred because firefighters had no access to water.
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Trump and some top Republicans in Congress pushed to put conditions on continuing massive federal wildfire aid to California to force policy changes.
The president said Friday before arriving in Los Angeles that he wanted to see “two things” before assisting California with federal disaster relief funds.
“I want to see two things in Los Angeles: Voter ID so people have a chance to vote. And I want to see water released and coming down across Los Angeles and the state. Those are the two That’s going to be the greatest president that California has ever seen,” Trump said.
Newsom on Thursday signed a $2.5 billion state relief package. But California will need more help from the federal government.
California Governor Gavin Newsom (right) tours the Pacific Palisade downtown business district as the Palisade Fire continues to burn in Los Angeles, California on January 8, 2025. (Eric Thayer)
And Newsom, the nation’s most populous governor, is one of the Democratic leaders in the resistance to the returning president, and potential White House contenders in 2028. A large body of politicians was pushed back to trade fire. .
The governor noted that southern California’s reservoirs were full when the fires first ignited, arguing that a fire fueled by 100 mph winds could not tackle a fire of that volume. did.
Newsom also accused Trump of “spreading Hurricane Force-style misinformation.
U.S. President Donald Trump poses with the Air Force as he departs for North Carolina at Joint Base Andrews, Maryland, Jan. 24, 2025 (Liamiris/Reuters)
And in a letter to Congress last week, Newsom said that “our long national history of responding to natural disasters has not always helped Americans, no matter where they occur, but rather than stopping completely. “There is,” he emphasized.
Wildfires are far from the first time Newsom and Trump have targeted each other. Their animosity dates back to before Trump was first elected president in 2016.
The verbal fireworks continued over the past two years. Newsom served as a top surrogate on the campaign trail for former President Biden and then former Vice President Kamala Harris, replacing Biden as the Democratic Party’s 2024 standard bearer last summer.
Following Trump’s convincing election victory over Harris in November, Newsom held Trump in check in his heavily blue state.
“He uses the term ‘Trump tolerance’ as a way to stop all the great things he could do to ‘make California great again,’ but I won the election overwhelmingly.” Trump answered.
While opposing Trump’s attacks amid wildfires, Newsom also knows he needs to work with the president.
President Donald Trump (center) looks at California Gov. Jerry Brown (right) and Lt. Gov. Gavin Newsom as they look at the damage from the Paradise, Calif., wildfires on Nov. 17, 2018.
The newspaper, which invited Trump to come to California two weeks ago to survey the damage, said in a statement Monday after the inauguration: “We look forward to President Trump’s visit to Los Angeles and the mobilization of the full weight of the federal government.” to help our fellow Americans recover and rebuild.”
He stressed that he would “find common ground and work toward shared goals” with the Trump administration.
“In the face of one of the worst natural disasters in American history, this moment calls for a critical need for partnership, a shared commitment to the facts, and mutual respect – civil discourse, effective governance, and meaning. “We emphasize the value of enabling action,” the governor said.
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“It’s a very difficult balance,” said Jack Pitney, a veteran California-based political scientist at Claremont McKenna College.
“As the governor of California, he must work with the president to get the nation’s federal aid. As a national political figure, he feels pressure to attack Trump.” Fox News.
Paul Steinhauser is a political reporter based in New Hampshire.
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