Staff Reports
Los Angeles County is ablaze, with wildfires laying waste to 25,000 acres and claiming lives like they’re merely collateral damage in the chaotic California government. President-elect Donald Trump is raising eyebrows—and eyebrows were already high—by calling out California Governor Gavin Newsom for his lack of leadership and disastrous water management policies. Trump, ever the straightforward businessman, has repeatedly emphasized the obvious: if California got its act together regarding water use, maybe the state wouldn’t turn into a literal wildfire zone every year.
Trump’s frustrations are not new. He has been sounding the alarm on California’s mismanagement for years. As he faces the inferno’s devastation, his sentiments haven’t softened. In a moment of good ol’ fashioned Trump wit, he denounced the “Gavin Newscum” leadership and suggested it’s time for Newsom to take an exit. After all, this isn’t just about a state running low on water; it’s about fundamental failures that lead to boundless property damage and loss of life. It’s as if Newsom is holding a fire sale, and not the kind you want to attend.
Trump spoke Just 4 months ago in LA County, about the need for California to send more water downstate:
"You have so much water…you could revert water up into the Hills, where you have all the dead forests…the land would be damp—and you'd stop many of these horrible fires."… pic.twitter.com/zlQikIIU8z
— Johnny Midnight ⚡️ (@its_The_Dr) January 8, 2025
Of course, Newsom is quick to play the blame game, accusing Trump of leveraging the suffering for political theater—funny how that works when the cameras are rolling and fires are raging. The reality is that Newsom’s administration has put California’s water policies on a strict diet, prioritizing environmental regulations over practical solutions. While the fires continue to rage, he insists on expounding the virtues of his policies instead of addressing the glaring issues right in front of him. Instead of focusing on firefighting solutions, it seems he’s busy with climate change discussions, as if the forest fires are merely an abstract concept rather than a crisis requiring immediate action.
Every time wildfires sweep through California, Trump resurfaces with warnings that have, essentially, gone unheeded. He’s pointed out time and again that the state is wasting precious water that could help combat these blazes, while Newsom plays the apologist for environmentalists who seem more concerned about fish than human life. The ex-President has been clear: instead of draining reservoirs for the sake of a single little fish, why not divert that water to save homes and lives?
And while California burns, the Democratic response seems to be to deflect and hyperventilate over climate change, as if those are the only two options left. Some high-profile figures, like Bernie Sanders, are quick to label climate change as the sole culprit, turning a blind eye to the tangible mismanagement occurring within the state’s leadership. Evacuees have come forward to call out these empty environmental platitudes, arguing that the fires would be far less devastating with proper resource management and emergency preparedness. Actor James Woods and other residents have echoed similar sentiments, criticizing the bureaucratic snags that hamper effective firefighting efforts.
With Trump set to assume office again soon, one can only assume that his renewed focus on practical solutions, including an overhaul of California’s water management, could save the state from further disasters. His past collaborations with Newsom may not be on the table anymore, given the current wildfire crisis, but it’s clear that only bold changes can extinguish the flames of negligence. As the state grapples with this ongoing crisis, it’s safe to say that a reality check is long overdue—not just for Newsom but for any Californian who thrives on bureaucratic folly instead of focused governance. It’s time for some accountability, and given the fires licking at Los Angeles’ doorstep, the blame game won’t put them out.
