Trump, Newsom clash over wildfire, but California governor says he’ll work with president
With President Biden now in political retirement, California Governor Gavin Newsom is quickly becoming one of President Trump’s top targets.
And just minutes into his second term as president, Trump used his inaugural address at the US Capitol to take aim at the nation’s most populous Democratic governor.
“Our country cannot provide basic services during an emergency,” they argued. And he pointed to “Los Angeles, where we are still watching it burn tragically with no signs of protection weeks ago.”
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President Trump delivers his inaugural address after taking the oath of office in the US Capitol Rotunda on Monday, January 20, 2025. (Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images)
Trump has repeatedly criticized Newsom’s handling of the devastating wildfires that destroyed parts of metropolitan Los Angeles this month, killing nearly 30 people and forcing tens of thousands to flee their homes.
Political shooting: Newsom defends efforts to fight California’s wildfires
The governor’s press office quickly responded and posted four photos on social media showing firefighters battling the blaze.
Trump will head to California on Friday to see firsthand the firefighting and recovery efforts.
“I’m going out there on Friday to see him and I’m going to go back,” Trump said at an eve rally in the nation’s capital. “We’re going to get the best builders in the world. We’re going to make it come back.”
Newsom, who invited Trump to California a week ago, said in a statement on Monday that he looks forward to President Trump’s visit to Los Angeles and bringing the full weight of the federal government together to help our fellow Americans. Recovery and rebuilding.”
And he emphasized “seeking common ground and striving for common goals” with the Trump administration.
“During one of the worst natural disasters in American history, it underscores the importance of partnership, a shared commitment to reality, and mutual respect—values that foster civil discourse, effective governance, and meaningful action,” he said.
California Governor Gavin Newsom visits the Pacific Palisades downtown business district on January 8, 2025 in Los Angeles. (Eric Thayer/Getty Images)
“My administration stands ready to work with the Trump-Vance administration to provide solutions where our shared principles align and serve the nearly 40 million Californians we collectively represent,” Newsom added.
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Newsom was a top candidate on the 2024 campaign trail for Biden and later for former Vice President Kamala Harris, who replaced Biden as the Democratic nominee last summer.
Limited by time limit and The governor, who has national aspirations in 2028, was a vocal Trump critic during the 2024 election campaign and led the Democratic Party’s opposition to Trump’s presidential bid.
