President Donald Trump claimed late on Monday that the military entered California and turned on the water under emergency powers but then the California Department of Water Resources (DWR) shot down the president’s claim and said the military did not enter California but the federal government restarted federal water pumps. The California wildfire became a major flashpoint between Trump and the California government and this war of words was the latest.
“The United States Military just entered the Great State of California and, under Emergency Powers, TURNED ON THE WATER flowing abundantly from the Pacific Northwest, and beyond. The days of putting a Fake Environmental argument, over the PEOPLE, are OVER. Enjoy the water, California!!!” Donald Trump posted on Truth Social.
“The military did not enter California,” California DWR wrote. “The federal government restarted federal water pumps after they were offline for maintenance for three days. State water supplies in Southern California remain plentiful.”
The remnants of the wildfires were finally doused when rainstorms ended Los Angeles’ record-breaking dry spell containing all five blazes raging until then in which 29 people were killed and 16,250 homes and other structures were destroyed.
On Friday, Trump signed an executive order directing federal agencies to “maximize” water deliveries in California and “override” state policies if necessary by pumping more water to the Los Angeles area from Sacramento-San Joaquin River Delta.
Trump has been blaming California leadership including Democrat governor Gavin Newsom for not doing enough to contain the fire. However, when Trump visited California last week, he met Newsom “I appreciate the governor coming out and meeting me,” Trump said. “It’s like you got hit by a bomb,” he added of the wildfire devastation. “We’re going to need your support,” Newsom told Trump.
“We’re going to need your help. You were there for us during COVID. I don’t forget that,“ Newsom said. ”And I have all the expectations that we’ll be able to work together to get this speedy recovery.”
