Los Angeles, CA – U.S. President-elect Donald Trump on Sunday criticized California officials for their handling of the deadly wildfires ravaging Los Angeles, calling their efforts incompetent and questioning their preparedness.
“The fires are still raging in LA. 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?”
The blazes, among the deadliest and most destructive in California’s history, have overwhelmed firefighting efforts. Hydrants in the Pacific Palisades neighborhood ran dry as the area was consumed by one of five active fires. Water shortages have also hampered containment efforts in other regions.
Rising Tensions Between Trump and Newsom
With just over a week before returning to the White House, Trump intensified his criticism of California’s Democratic Governor Gavin Newsom, accusing him of failing to respond adequately to the crisis.
Governor Newsom, however, extended an invitation to Trump