Incoming US president Donald Trump has ignited a political feud with California Governor Gavin Newsom, blaming him for the devastating wildfires ravaging Los Angeles.
On Thursday, Trump used his Truth Social network to launch a series of unfounded accusations, including criticising Newsom for allegedly wasting water that could have been used to fight the fires in order to protect a type of fish.
“Gavin Newscum should resign. This is all his fault!!!” Trump said, using his familiar derogatory nickname for the governor, who is frequently mentioned as a potential contender for the White House.
Trump also suggested that the ongoing fires highlighted the urgency of his return to the White House, stating, “Let this serve, and be emblematic, of the gross incompetence and mismanagement of the Biden/Newscum Duo.”
He added that the transition of power on January 20 “cannot come fast enough.”
In response, President Joe Biden held a crisis meeting at the White House, urging that the situation should not be politicised.
“I’m leaving this office very shortly, but it’s not about the politics,” Biden said, clarifying that his focus was on providing reassurance to the public. “It’s about giving people some sense of security that we’re going to be able to get this under control.”
Biden, who had cancelled his final foreign trip to Italy to manage the crisis, also announced fresh federal funding and resources to help California address what he described as the most destructive wildfires in the state’s history.
The president was particularly keen to debunk Trump’s accusations that Democratic policies had caused the water shortages hindering firefighting efforts. Trump had blamed Newsom for blocking water flow to protect a fish species called a smelt, which Trump claimed was a waste of water resources.
“Gavin Newscum should resign. This is all his fault!!!” Trump added.
Biden, however, clarified that the water supply issues were primarily due to power outages caused by utility companies shutting down electricity to prevent fire risks, which also affected water pumps.
“In crisis, rumours and fear spread very quickly,” Biden warned, encouraging officials to combat misinformation.
The president also used the fires to emphasise the reality of climate change, a stance in contrast to Trump, who has repeatedly downplayed the issue and threatened to roll back efforts to combat global warming upon his return to office.
Earlier, Trump had accused Biden of diverting funds to “Green New Scam” climate policies instead of using them for emergency services like FEMA. However, Biden has denied such claims, asserting that funds were not diverted away from FEMA during the aftermath of the hurricanes in October.
Governor Newsom, defending his leadership, rejected Trump’s accusations during a CNN interview, stating, “People are literally fleeing… This guy wanted to politicize it.”
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