Newsom Implores Trump To Visit La Fire Destruction, Not Politicize Tragedy

SACRAMENTO, California — Gov. Gavin Newsom invited President-elect Donald Trump to survey the breathtaking damage caused by the Southern California wildfires, appealing to the incoming president to meet with the first responders, firefighters and “Americans” affected by the catastrophe.

“In the spirit of this great country, we must not politicize human tragedy or spread disinformation from the sidelines,” Newsom wrote in a letter to Trump on Friday. “Hundreds of thousands of Americans — displaced from their homes and fearful for the future — deserve to see all of us working in their best interests to ensure a fast recovery and rebuild.”

The Los Angeles fires have killed at least 10 people and destroyed more than 10,000 homes and businesses. They also have dramatically accelerated the feud between the incoming president and the ambitious California Democrat, with Trump ridiculing the governor’s performance, advocating for sweeping policy changes on water and using the blazes to again portray his state as failing.

During Trump’s first term, he demanded policy concessions in exchange for federal disaster relief funding to California — actions that were front of mind for Newsom as he successfully appealed to the Biden administration to issue a disaster declaration this week. Biden later committed the federal government to covering all of the fire management and debris removal costs for the next six months.

“We are thankful that President Biden has swiftly approved our major disaster declaration — a strong indication of the partnership California needs and appreciates with any federal administration,” Newsom wrote to Trump.

“However, the threat to lives and property remains acute. Higher-than-normal winds of up to 70 miles per hour are still forecast for the next several days, and more extreme winds are likely early next week, with no change to dry conditions.”

A Trump official downplayed the idea Trump would withhold federal disaster money and said he would come through on aid to the blue state. The Trump official said the president-elect “has always expressed a willingness to work with anybody, especially when it’s in the interest of the American people.”

Trump’s office did not immediately respond to Newsom’s invite.