Trump criticizes California leaders over ‘poor’ wildfire response

President-elect Donald Trump has intensified his criticism of California’s handling of the wildfires devastating Los Angeles, as Governor Gavin Newsom urged him to witness the destruction firsthand.

“The fires are still raging in L.A. The incompetent pols have no idea how to put them out,” Trump wrote on his Truth Social platform. “This is one of the worst catastrophes in the history of our country. They just can’t put out the fires. What’s wrong with them?”

Governor Newsom, a frequent target of Trump’s ire, responded during an interview on NBC’s “Meet the Press,” offering both criticism and an olive branch. “Responding to Donald Trump’s insults, we would spend another month,” he said, adding, “I called for him to come out, take a look for himself. We want to do it in the spirit of an open hand, not a closed fist. He’s the president-elect.” Newsom noted he had yet to receive a response from Trump.

Despite their contentious history, Newsom tempered his remarks, mindful of Trump’s past threats to cut federal wildfire aid. “In the spirit of this great country, we must not politicize human tragedy or spread disinformation,” Newsom wrote in a letter to Trump, inviting him to visit the affected areas and thank the heroic firefighters.

The wildfires have killed at least 16 people, displaced 150,000, and destroyed over 12,000 structures, according to state officials. Trump continued his criticism, posting, “Thousands of magnificent houses are gone, and many more will soon be lost. There is death all over the place.”

US officials warned that strong winds could further spread the fires. Deanne Criswell, head of FEMA, told CNN, “The biggest thing that people need to know is that this is still dangerous.” The Palisades Fire had grown to 23,600 acres with 11% containment, while the Eaton Fire reached 14,000 acres at 15% containment.

The devastation left many scrambling for shelter. Brian, an evacuee whose rent-controlled apartment burned, said, “I’m back on the market with tens of thousands of people. That doesn’t bode well.”