President Donald Trump is scheduled to visit Los Angeles on Friday to tour the areas impacted by wildfires, following a series of disagreements with California Governor Gavin Newsom regarding the state’s response to the crisis and federal aid. Trump’s visit comes after a stop in North Carolina, where he plans to address the ongoing recovery efforts from Hurricane Helene, which struck the region in September. The President’s comments, made during an interview with Fox News’ Sean Hannity, emphasized his intent to assist communities still suffering from the hurricane.
Trump’s plans for the California visit were not confirmed as of Thursday evening, though Governor Newsom stated he would be at the airport to greet the President. The ongoing feud between Trump and Newsom has centered on federal disaster relief, with Trump suggesting that California’s management of water resources and forest fires must improve before the state receives federal assistance. In his interview, Trump argued that the state should not receive aid until it allows more water to flow through its systems, which he believes would help prevent wildfires.
This claim regarding water policies, particularly related to the protection of the delta smelt, an endangered species, has been refuted by California officials. Experts like Ashley Overhouse, a water policy adviser for Defenders of Wildlife, have stated that the regulations affecting water flow have had minimal impact, contributing only about 1.2% to additional water outflow.
In response to the wildfires, the House of Representatives recently passed the Fix Our Forests Act, a bipartisan measure aimed at addressing the root causes of wildfires. This bill focuses on forest management, wildfire prediction, and post-fire recovery, providing resources for fire departments, expediting environmental reviews, and improving state and local government coordination to combat and recover from wildfires more effectively.
