‘This is all his fault!!!’: Trump demands California governor’s resignation after wildfires break out
Instead of addressing the real cause of the increase in extreme weather such as wildfires, Donald Trump has decided to point the blame at California’s Gov. Gavin Newsom. Trump has called for Newsom’s resignation amid one of the worst natural disasters to hit the area.
Throughout the week, wild fires have raged around Los Angeles in one of the most destructive blazes in the states history. The fires have displaced more than 100,000 people and 10 people have confirmed to have been killed. This number is expected to rise, especially as emergency personal have yet to access some of the more dangerous, hard to reach locations. While firefighters and local responders continue to respond to the tragedy, Trump has been clear in who he believes is to blame, California Governor Newsom.
Writing on his social media platform, Truth Social, the Preident-elect said, “One of the best and most beautiful parts of the United States of America is burning down to the ground. It’s ashes, and Gavin Newscum should resign. This is all his fault!!!!” Trump here used his signature move of utilising a derogatory name in place of Newsom. Trump has had ongoing “beef” with Newsom, who he views as a threat given the governors drastically opposing views and ideals.
Newsom was interviewed by CNN’s Anderson Cooper whilst out working to help combat the fire. Cooper asked Newsom about his thoughts on Trump’s attacks to which Newsom responded, “One can’t even respond to it. People are literally fleeing, people have lost their lives, kids have lost their schools, families completely torn asunder, churches burned down, and this guy wanted to politicize it. I have a lot of thoughts and I know what I want to say, but I won’t.”
Separating Fact from Fiction
Much of what Trump had to post on his socials has to be fact checked for accuracy. He has blamed anumber of issues along with Newsom for the fires whilst experts have contradicted him. In another less than helpful tirade on Thursday, Trump wrote,
“Fire is spreading rapidly for 3 days — ZERO CONTAINMENT. Nobody has ever seen such failed numbers before! Gross incompetence by Gavin Newscum and Karen Bass….And Biden’s FEMA has no money — all wasted on the Green New Scam! L.A. is a total wipeout!!!”
The idea that FEMA has no money in a myth, proving that once again Trump is resorting to misinformation to tackle opponents. In a report made by FEMA itself in 2024, it states it has “adequate funding.” That same report opened with the sentence, “Unfortunately, during disasters, myths about FEMA can spread, which ultimately can discourage survivors from accessing the assistance they may desperately need.”
Talking of the fires at the Capitol on Wednesday, Trump said, ““This is a true tragedy, and it’s a mistake of the governor, and you could say the [Biden] administration. They don’t have any water. They didn’t have water in the fire hydrants.” Peter Gleick, a hydroclimatologist and senior fellow of the Oakland-based Pacific Institute, rebuked Trump’s claim telling The LA Times that Trump’s comments were “blatantly false, irresponsible and politically self-serving.” He added,
“There is no water shortage in Southern California — the state’s reservoirs are all at, or above, levels normally expected for this time of year. The problem with water supply for the fires is entirely the result of the massive immediate demands for firefighting water, broken or damaged pipes and pumps, and homeowners leaving hoses and sprinklers running in hopes of saving property.”
It would seem that Republican leader Trump will point the finger at everything but one of the most obvious culprits: climate change. As temperatures increase around the world, the heighten the risk of these types of large scale fires erupting as forests get drier and more susceptible to burning.
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