As a spate of wildfires burned through communities across Los Angeles County on Wednesday, the crisis highlighted stark differences between the incoming and outgoing presidents and their relationship with California.
President Biden stood next to fellow Democratic Gov. Gavin Newsom at a fire station in Santa Monica and promised full federal support for the state.
“We stand ready to use whatever means necessary to get these fires under control,” Biden said.
Hours earlier, Republican President-elect Donald Trump, just days away from being inaugurated on January 20, blamed “Newscam and the Los Angeles crews” for the unfolding disaster.
In a post on his social media site Truth Social, President Trump said Democratic governors “refused to sign the Water Recovery Proclamation,” which caused millions of gallons of rain and snowmelt to flood the fire area. He argued that it would flow south.
“The ultimate price is now being paid,” Trump wrote. “We demand that this incompetent governor allow beautiful, clean fresh water to flow into California!”
As the region burns and thousands of people evacuate their homes, the president-elect’s morning letter threatens to block wildfire funding if Newsom refuses to follow Trump’s California water policy. It echoed an earlier threat of injunction. But water experts say Trump’s water proposals will likely run into major obstacles and that his claims to link water delivery to firefighting response are inaccurate.
Newsom praised first-term President Trump for approving federal disaster funding for wildfires, but then said governors needed to “kiss the ring” to convince Trump to help. states.
Newsom praised Biden for not playing politics during a disaster.
“It’s impossible to express in words the level of gratitude and cooperation I’ve received from the White House and this administration,” Newsom said Wednesday in Santa Monica.
The president has wide discretion over disaster relief, but if President Trump follows through on his threats after taking office, it could lead to a crisis in the future.
California and other states are receiving federal wildfire assistance, including direct payments and services to homeowners and renters whose properties have been damaged, public assistance for search and rescue teams, debris removal and infrastructure repairs, and more. most of which is received through the Federal Emergency Management Agency.
To qualify, the state must show that the incident is so serious and large that the response is beyond the state’s capacity. The governor must request a major disaster, and the president must declare and approve any aid requested by the governor.
FEMA determines whether a federal disaster declaration is warranted and issues recommendations to the President. Presidents have followed that recommendation in the past, but there is nothing in the law requiring them to do so.
President Trump initially refused to approve federal aid for California’s wildfires in 2018, but National Security Council officials said Orange County had a high concentration of Trump voters. It is said that it was shown. politiko.
In another example, in 2020, FEMA denied California requests for assistance with six wildfires. But he reversed course a day after Republicans appealed to Trump and the governor and president spoke by phone.
State Sen. Ben Allen, a Democrat who lives and grew up in Santa Monica, attended Wednesday’s meeting with the president and governor. Allen said it’s clear from Newsom’s statements since the fires began that the governor is concerned about federal aid for disasters under the Trump administration. Allen said Biden’s response was surprisingly swift and thorough. But he said he can’t imagine President Trump ignoring Californians in their time of need.
“I look forward to the new administration supporting our fellow Americans in their time of vulnerability,” Allen said. “This is what every White House has done throughout history, whether Democratic or Republican. There’s no reason why we shouldn’t continue to provide the same level of aid and services as previous presidents.”
Despite Trump’s impassioned rhetoric, he traveled to California as president to survey fire damage and meet with Newsom. President Trump toured Paradise in 2018 in the wake of the state’s deadliest wildfires. And he met with Newsom in Sacramento after a spate of wildfires in 2020.
Although Newsom and Trump exchanged blows on social media, in the news media and in court during the president-elect’s first term, they remained friendly through text messages, phone calls and even in person. But that relationship appears to have deteriorated during Biden’s presidency.
Newsom said Trump did not return a call he made in November to congratulate the president-elect on his election victory. An aide to Mr. Newsom said the two men have not yet spoken.
The president-elect continued to blame Newsom for the fire on Wednesday’s Truth Social. “At this point, Gavin Newcombe and his crew in Los Angeles have the fire contained to exactly zero percent. It’s burning at even higher levels than last night. This is not the government.”
Trump also fired at Biden.
“No water in the hydrants, no money at FEMA,” he posted. “This is what Joe Biden leaves me with. Thank you Joe!”
Peter Glick, a hydroclimatologist and senior fellow at the Oakland-based Pacific Research Institute, said President Trump’s comments sought to link California’s water policy to water supply issues facing Southern California firefighters. “This is patently false, irresponsible and politically self-serving.”
“There is no water shortage in Southern California. All of the state’s reservoirs are at or above the levels normally expected at this time of year. The issue of water supply for fires is entirely due to the immediate high demand for water for firefighting, broken pipes and pumps. or damage, and the result of homeowners leaving hoses and sprinklers running in hopes of saving property.”
Staff writer Ian James contributed to this report.
