California Gov. Gavin Newsom (D) tried to blame President Donald Trump for the spread of wildfires across the state on Wednesday, claiming National Guard soldiers had been pulled from firefighting to stop riots.
Newsom made the accusation while still seeking $40 billion in federal relief funds for California in the next congressional spending bill, which Trump would have to sign into law after passage by a Republican majority.
There are currently eight wildfires burning in California, with evacuations ordered near Sacramento and San Diego.
A statement from Newsom’s office said:
As multiple fires burn across the state today, a critical firefighting resource is short-staffed due to President Trump’s illegal federalization of California’s National Guard troops.
CAL FIRE crews responding to the Monte Fire in San Diego have had to fill in gaps left by a California National Guard (CalGuard) Joint Task Force Rattlesnake team that is understaffed due to the federalization of some of its members.
Task Force Rattlesnake is made up of over 300 California National Guard members, who work at the direction of CAL FIRE to help fight and prevent fires. More than half of that team has been diverted to Los Angeles as part of President Trump’s illegal federalization of the Guard.
What the governor’s office refers to as “illegal” could soon be upheld as legal by the Ninth Circuit. Politico reported Wednesday that the three-judge panel — including one appointed by President Joe Biden — “sharply questioned Newsom’s argument that Trump had failed to sufficiently justify his decision to send 4,000 National Guard troops to protect federal buildings and support immigration authorities as they conduct arrests and enforcement operations.”
Newsom declined to blame rioters who attacked federal Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officers and local police. He also evaded the fact that his administration has failed to clear brush in forests for years.
Earlier this year, in the immediate aftermath of the devastating L.A. wildfires, Newsom approved $50 million in spending to fight future Trump initiatives in court. California faces a $10-$20 billion budget deficit.
The wildfires began under President Biden, who happened to be visiting L.A. at the time. As – News noted, Biden drew police officers away from potential duty guiding evacuations.
As the New York Times noted Wednesday, Trump suggested that he might be reluctant to give Newsom the $40 billion that he is seeking because of Newsom’s behavior: “[H]atred is never a good thing in politics.”
