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 wrote 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 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 wrote on the social platform X.

Trump, in another post on Truth Social, then blamed Newsom for issues containing the wildfires, as firefighters and other first responders on the ground worked to fight them.

“As of this moment, Gavin Newscum and his Los Angeles crew have contained exactly ZERO percent of the fire. It is burning at levels that even surpass last night. This is not Government. I can’t wait till January 20th!” the president-elect said.

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 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 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 smoke.

Biden and Newsom spoke by phone Wednesday. The president is in the Los Angeles area and has been in constant communication with the governor and Los Angeles Mayor Bass’s 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 Wednesday afternoon.

Updated at 2:24 p.m. EST