The president-elect blamed California Governor Gavin Newsom for the massive fires that have forced tens of thousands to evacuate, saying the governor should have signed a declaration to pump more water through the state.

Trump has said he would turn on “a very large faucet” that could send millions of gallons of water from the Columbia River to Los Angeles.

In a post on his social media site, Mr. Trump mocked Gov. Gavin Newsom, calling him “incompetent” and claiming that the governor had blocked an infusion of water to Southern California because of concern about the impact on a threatened fish.

Trump, during the 2024 campaign, threatened to withhold federal aid to California wildfires as president if Newsom didn’t change that policy. He said at the time that he would give the Golden State “more water than almost anybody has,” allowing farmers to have full use of their land.

Trump has argued since 2016 that California should divert more of the water contained in the northern part of the state to farmers instead of wildlife conservation.

As firefighters scrambled to stem the still-spreading infernos, Trump lashed out at Newsom for implementing a water management plan that many Republicans and farmers oppose.

As Southern California continues to be enveloped in a fiery inferno, President-elect Trump took to social media to place the blame squarely on Governor Gavin Newsom for the dire situation as it unfolds in real time.

President-elect Donald Trump is calling out California Governor Gavin Newsom for the devastating wildfires hitting the state. In a new Truth Social post on Wednesday, Trump claimed that Newsom’s approach to water management and environmental policies played a big role in the current disaster.

President-elect Donald Trump attacked California Gov. Gavin Newsom on Wednesday as thousands of acres burned in a blaze that tore through Los Angeles County.