Former President Donald Trump on Saturday again threatened to withhold federal funds used to fight fires in California if reelected as he attacked Democratic Gov. Gavin Newsom over water rules in the state.
“We’re going to take care of our farmers. We’re going to take care of your water situation, and we’ll force it down his throat. And we’ll say, Gavin, if you don’t do it, we’re not giving you any of that fire money that we send you all the time for all the forest fires that you have,” Trump said during a campaign rally in Coachella, California.
Trump argued Newsom had “mismanaged” the water situation in California with environmental regulations that he said came at the expense of farmers.
The former president made the same threat to withhold disaster relief funds a month ago during a news conference at his golf club in Los Angeles.
California Rep. Adam Schiff slammed Trump’s comments in a post on X. “Another reminder that Trump doesn’t care about you, your family, or your communities,” the California Democratic Senate nominee wrote. “He’ll happily let them burn to further his personal politics. We’re all Americans, Donald. And when disaster hits, we stand together.”
As Trump campaigned in deep-blue California, he repeatedly attacked Newsom and slammed the state’s liberal policies.
“Today, California has the highest inflation, the highest taxes, the highest gas prices, the highest cost of living, the most regulations,” Trump said. “The most expensive, utilities, the most homelessness. The most crime, the most decay, and the most illegal aliens. Other than that, I think you’re doing quite well actually.”
