California Gov. Gavin Newsom invites Trump to tour damage in Los Angeles fire zones
Gov. Gavin Newsom invited President-elect Donald Trump to California to survey the destruction of the deadly Los Angeles County wildfires, penning a letter Friday asking Trump to join him in meeting with victims and firefighters.
With two massive blazes still burning on opposite sides of the county, Newsom reached out to Trump while referencing the federal assistance already granted so far by the Biden administration. The letter comes after the president-elect blamed the governor and Los Angeles leaders for the natural disasters, claiming they made policymaking decisions which have worsened the crisis.
Newsom has refuted those allegations, calling Trump's claim that the governor "refused to sign" a water restoration declaration which would directed millions of gallons of water to current wildfires areas "pure fiction."
The two largest and most destructive LA wildfires — the Eaton Fire just outside Pasadena and the Palisades Fire in the coastal community of Pacific Palisades — have killed at least 11 people and destroyed thousands of structures. More than 150,000 people fled their homes this week and even more evacuations were issued Friday night in the Palisades Fire as the flames spread further.
Newsom's letter references Trump's 2018 visit to California after the Camp Fire in the Northern California town of Paradise became the deadliest wildfire in California history. During the same visit, the pair surveyed the widespread destruction of the Woolsey Fire in Malibu, part of the same area of Los Angeles County where the Palisades Fire ripped through.
So far, the Eaton and Palisades fires have already become among the most destructive in state history.
"Now, California is again facing one of the most destructive fires in our history," Newsom's letter reads.
He goes on to write that several LA wildfires, carried by hurricane-force gusts, exploded in size "even in the face of Herculean work by legions of experienced firefighters" — sending thousands fleeing as they tore through entire communities.
"The loss and devastation are horrific," the letter reads, going on to note Biden's approval of a major disaster declaration.
"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," the letter reads. "As you prepare to assume the presidency once more, I invite you to come to California again — to meet with the Americans affected by these fires, see the devastation firsthand, and join me and others in thanking the heroic firefighters and first responders who are putting their lives on the line."
"In the spirit of this great country, we must not politicize human tragedy or spread disinformation from the sidelines," the letter continues. "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."
Trump has not yet responded to the governor's invite.
