California governor: Trump ‘got our back’ on wildfires

California Gov. Jerry Brown (D) said Sunday that President Trump said told him that he has California’s back as it deals with deadly wildfires, which have killed at least 71 people.

“The president not only has signed a presidential declaration giving California substantial funding, but he said and pledged very specifically to — to continue to help us,” Brown told CBS’s “Face the Nation” on Sunday. “That he’s got our back.”

“And I thought that was a very positive thing,” he added. 

{mosads}”There have been some back and forth between California leaders and the president,” he said. “But in … the face of tragedy people tend to rise above some of their lesser propensities.”

Trump has continued to criticize state officials about California’s forest management.

Earlier this month, Trump floated the idea of cutting of federal dollars to the state if it doesn’t do a better job preventing wildfires.

“There is no reason for these massive, deadly and costly forest fires in California except that forest management is so poor,” he tweeted.

“Billions of dollars are given each year, with so many lives lost, all because of gross mismanagement of the forests. Remedy now, or no more Fed payments!”

There is no reason for these massive, deadly and costly forest fires in California except that forest management is so poor. Billions of dollars are given each year, with so many lives lost, all because of gross mismanagement of the forests. Remedy now, or no more Fed payments!

— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) November 10, 2018