Gov. Gavin Newsom sent a letter to President-elect Donald Trump on Friday, inviting the next leader to travel to California to meet with fire victims, survey the devastation in Los Angeles County and express gratitude to first responders. I was invited to

The invitation, which was emailed to Trump’s team, signals a change in the tone of the political battle between Newsom and Trump, the governor’s office said.

“In the spirit of this great nation, we must not politicize human tragedy or spread disinformation from the sidelines,” Newsom said. “Hundreds of thousands of Americans who have been forced to flee their homes and feel uncertain about their future deserve to see all of us work to put their best interests first and ensure rapid recovery and rebuilding. there is.”

President Trump has been a vocal critic of Newsom since the fires, blaming the governor and “officials in Los Angeles” for the disaster, but the Republican’s claim that Southern California’s water shortages led to a shortage of firefighters It turned out to be widely false.

In a press conference with President Biden earlier in the day, Newsom spoke out against misinformation and lies.

“It’s heartbreaking to know that while people are suffering and struggling, we too are standing against the force of the hurricane,” Newsom said. “It affects real people.”

Trump previously traveled to California as president to assess fire damage following the 2018 Paradise Fire and a spate of wildfires in 2020.

The governor on Friday also called for an investigation into water supply issues that have caused fire hydrants to run dry and hinder firefighting efforts.

Staff writer Faith Pigno contributed to this report.