Trump vows federal support for fire victims, clashes with LA leaders on California water

In a visit to Los Angeles Friday to survey wildfire damage, President Donald Trump promised federal aid for fire victims and clashed with local leaders on environmental issues, vowing to order more water to Southern California from rivers in the state’s north.

“I just want to commiserate and we’ll be back one day to celebrate,” the president told a conference of elected officials and others. “The federal government is standing behind you 100%.”

Earlier Friday, Trump threatened to condition federal aid for wildfire recovery on California carrying out his agenda for the state’s water supply or force voters to show ID before they can vote.

But after touching down in the Los Angeles area Friday afternoon, taking a helicopter tour of devastation in the Pacific Palisades and meeting with victims as well as first responders, he seemed to adopt a more empathetic tone.

It was initially unclear whether Gov. Gavin Newsom, who has clashed frequently and often bitterly with Trump for years, would greet Trump on the tarmac.

But they met there, shook hands and exchanged brief comments to the press. Newsom thanked the president for his visit, saying “We’re going to need your help.”

The president did not miss an opportunity to promote his agenda on California water, saying he will sign an executive order to “open up the pumps and valves in the north” and “let millions of gallons of water flow down to Southern California.”

It’s unclear how he will do so. That promise aligns with a memo his office issued earlier this week calling on federal agencies to “route more water” from the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta to other parts of the state.

Called “Putting People Over Fish: Stopping Radical Environmentalism to Provide Water to Southern California,” the order called for reinstating his contentious 2019 regulations guiding operation of the state and federal water delivery systems.

Most of California’s urban population and farms receive water through the state and federal water projects, which transport supplies from Sierra Nevada snowmelt into the Delta and out through aqueducts, reservoirs and pipelines.

Agricultural industry leaders in the San Joaquin Valley often blame insufficient supplies on environmental regulations that prioritize habitat protections for endangered species like the delta smelt, salmon, steelhead trout and sturgeon — especially during drought.

The demands of California’s agriculture and population growth have had severe consequences for native fish species since the early 20th century, with roughly 80% of previous populations of native salmon, trout, sturgeon and the delta smelt.

Sitting in front of local leaders, Trump again wrongly blamed elements of the fire disaster on a lack of water resources coming from the Delta and environmental protections for the delta smelt, a small fish near extinction that has become a symbol of GOP frustration.

That has received sharp rebuke from California leaders and water experts who point out that Los Angeles’ water supply is flush after two rainy years, and statewide water supply questions have no relationship to municipal water system failures during the Palisades fire.

He also repeatedly blamed the fire disaster on environmental protections for the delta smelt, a small fish near extinction that has become a symbol of the GOP’s frustration with liberal environmentalism.

“You have so much water. Use it and be happy about it,” said Trump. Later he added “We’re the party of common sense. We like water to put out fires.”

Lia Russell of the Sacramento Bee contributed

This story was originally published January 24, 2025 at 6:18 PM.