Gavin Newsom became emotional when asked about Donald Trump placing the blame on the California governor for the disastrous, killer wildfires that have ravaged the state.
Trump said that the governor, who he referred to as ‘Gavin Newscum,’ a favorite of the Republican’s pet names, was at fault for the disaster.
The president-elect lambasted Newsom in a Truth Social post Wednesday for focusing on environmental priorities like ‘worthless fish’ over those of Golden State residents.
Speaking to Anderson Cooper amid the fires in Los Angeles Wednesday, Newsom was visibly hurt by the criticism.
‘People are literally fleeing. People have lost their lives. Kids lost their schools, families completely torn asunder, churches burned down, he said.’
Newsom avoided going further in on Trump: ‘I have a lot of thoughts and I know what I want to say… I won’t.’
He then raged at Trump for trying to ‘politicize’ the disaster, while contrasting him with Joe Biden.
‘I stood next to a President of the United States of America today, and I was proud to be with Joe Biden. And he had the backs of every single person in this community. He didn’t play politics, didn’t try to divide any of us.’
Gavin Newsom became emotional when asked about Donald Trump placing the blame on the California governor for the disastrous, killer wildfires that have ravaged the state
Speaking to Anderson Cooper amid the fires in Los Angeles Wednesday, Newsom was visibly hurt by the criticism
Trump said that the governor, who he referred to as ‘Gavin Newscum,’ a favorite of the Republican’s pet names, was at fault for the disaster
It followed Newsom’s press office slamming Trump for claiming he could demand water flow into California at any time and isn’t doing so on purpose.
‘There is no such document as the water restoration declaration – that is pure fiction,’ a spokesperson for Newsom wrote.
‘The Governor is focused on protecting people, not playing politics, and making sure firefighters have all the resources they need.’
Trump tore into Newsom for being unprepared for the devastating wildfires that have cropped up all around Los Angeles causing immeasurable damage.
The wildfires, numbering up to four separate blazes, have already scorched thousands of acres, burnt scores of structures and caused what appears to be billions of dollars in damage.
The Palisades Fire, which began in Pacific Palisades, California, and currently is the most ferocious of all the blazes, has already torched beach-side homes from Malibu to Santa Monica, and as of Wednesday afternoon is zero percent contained.
Images of the disaster show multi-million dollar homes going up in flames, fleeing residents panicking and brave firefighters desperately attempting to put out spot fires encroaching on major structures.
Trump took to Truth Social on Wednesday to slam the California Democrat.
The Palisades Fire, which began in Pacific Palisades, California, and currently is the most ferocious of all the blazes, has already torched beach-side homes from Malibu to Santa Monica, and as of Wednesday afternoon is 0 percent contained
Speaking to Anderson Cooper amid the fires in Los Angeles Wednesday, Newsom was visibly hurt by the criticism
‘Governor Gavin Newscum refused to sign the water restoration declaration put before him that would have allowed millions of gallons of water, from excess rain and snow melt from the North, to flow daily into many parts of California, including the areas that are currently burning in a virtually apocalyptic way.’
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Trump blames 'Gavin Newscum' for raging California wildfires: 'The ultimate price is being paid'
‘He wanted to protect an essentially worthless fish called a smelt, by giving it less water (it didn’t work!), but didn’t care about the people of California,’ the statement continued.
‘Now the ultimate price is being paid. I will demand that this incompetent governor allow beautiful, clean, fresh water to FLOW INTO CALIFORNIA! He is the blame for this. On top of it all, no water for fire hydrants, not firefighting planes. A true disaster!’
In a separate post, the Republican again slammed the Democrat.
‘As of this moment, Gavin Newscum and his Los Angeles crew have contained exactly ZERO percent of the fire. It is burning at levels that even surpass last night. This is not Government. I can’t wait till January 20th!’ Trump wrote around 2 pm ET.
Then again he spouted off about the California governor in a third post: ‘NO WATER IN THE FIRE HYDRANTS, NO MONEY IN FEMA. THIS IS WHAT JOE BIDEN IS LEAVING ME. THANKS JOE!’
Trump has previously criticized Newsom for his handling of fires and told him he needs to better manage the state’s many annual wildfires.
In a visit to The Golden State in November of 2018, the then president and newly elected governor both met following the devastating Camp Fire.
Trump took to Truth Social on Wednesday to slam the California Democrat
Speaking during their visit to Skyway Villa Mobile Home and RV Park in Paradise, California, Trump warned ‘you’ve got to take care of the floors’.
Footage of their exchange has resurfaced online amid calls for Newsom to stand down as wildfires ravage parts of Los Angeles, amid complains about fire hydrants not having water and power lines not being shut off.
In the 2018 clip, he said: ‘Get all of this cleaned out and protected. You’ve gotta take care of the floors. The floors of the forest.’
Trump again hit the governor in 2019 for doing a ‘terrible job’ managing the states forests.
‘I told him from the first day we met that he must ‘clean’ his forest floors regardless of what his bosses, the environmentalists, DEMAND of him,’ Trump posted at the time.
‘Must also do burns and cut fire stoppers,’ he added, in reference to forest management policies that were being overlooked.
In 2021 Newsom signed a bill directing over $15 billion to combat wildfires, drought and other climate challenges facing California.
That climate package dedicated nearly $1 billion exclusively to help prevent wildfires, after the two most destructive on record happened within one year of each other.
A home burns during the Eaton fire in the Altadena area of Los Angeles County, California on January 8, 2025
But these new blazes could be the most expensive to ever hit California.
Daniel Swain, climate scientist at the University of California, Los Angeles, told CNN Wednesday the ongoing fires in southern California could come at a historic cost.
‘It is plausible that the Palisades Fire, in particular, will become the costliest on record period, not just in California, but in general,’ Swain told CNN.
‘We’ve likely checked that box this time. I’m hoping we don’t check other boxes as well.’
Karoline Leavitt, Trump’s incoming Press Secretary, affirmed her boss’s critique of Newsom in a post on X Wednesday afternoon.
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‘President Trump is 100 percent right about the wildfires In 2020, he signed an order diverting water from Northern Cali to cities & farmers in the south Gavin Newscum immediately filed suit to ‘protect highly imperiled fish species close to extinction,” she wrote.
The fires have been so widespread that Vice President Kamala Harris’ Southern California home was under an evacuation order.
‘Last night, the Vice President’s neighborhood in Los Angeles was put under an evacuation order,’ the VP’s press secretary said in a statement.
‘No one was in her home at the time. She and the Second Gentleman are praying for the safety of their fellow Californians, the heroic first responders, and Secret Service personnel.’