President-elect Trump said Monday that California has a chance to “preserve our forests” as wildfires continue in the Los Angeles area.
“The problem is, it's so dry. It's always so dry over there and it's just… it's just a mess. They could have kept the forest, and like I said, they have to. ,” President Trump said on Newsmax's “Rob Schmidt Tonight.”
Trump also said in the Newsmax interview that the Los Angeles area is “just devastated” by the fires.
“It literally looks like a bomb. A huge bomb was dropped on them. All that's left standing is a few chimneys. By the way, most of the chimneys are gone as well,” President Trump said. .
President Trump's comments come as he has recently criticized California officials, particularly California Gov. Gavin Newsom (D), over their response to the Los Angeles area fires.
“One of the greatest and most beautiful parts of the United States of America is being burned down,” President Trump said on Truth Social last Wednesday. “It's gone to ashes, Gavin Newscome should resign. This is all his fault!!!”
Recent fires in the Los Angeles area have devastated communities, destroyed property en masse, and left the death toll in the double digits.
A variety of factors are contributing to the fire's intensity, including Santa Ana's strong winds, dry winter, low humidity, and dense vegetation.
In an interview aired Sunday, Newsom expressed concern about President Trump potentially withholding federal disaster aid to the Golden State in the event of deadly fires.
“He did it in Utah. He did it in Michigan, he did it in Puerto Rico. In 2018, before I became governor, he found out the people of Orange County were voting for him and told them We did that in California until we decided to give the money,” Newsom said in an interview.
The Hill has reached out to Newsom's news office for comment.
