Amidst the devastating Los Angeles wildfires, a political firestorm has erupted. California Governor Gavin Newsom attributed the disaster to climate change, seemingly criticizing former President Donald Trump's environmental policies. Newsom's comments, accompanied by stark images of the fires, followed Trump's executive orders reversing parts of the previous administration's climate agenda, including withdrawing from the Paris Climate Agreement.
Newsom linked the withdrawal from the agreement, which aimed to significantly reduce emissions, to environmental disasters like the West Coast fires. This sparked a wave of responses, with several Democratic lawmakers echoing Newsom's sentiment and blaming climate change for the fires. However, this stance has drawn criticism, particularly from residents facing waterless fire hydrants in affected areas.
Adding fuel to the controversy, California officials are facing scrutiny for allocating funds to diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives while the fire department budget experienced a significant reduction. Assembly Minority Leader James Gallagher questioned Newsom's leadership, emphasizing the need for basic services like fire and police departments to be adequately funded. Actor Michael Rapaport also criticized Newsom for prioritizing "Trump-proofing" California over "fire-proofing" the state. Filmmaker Justine Bateman reiterated the importance of properly funding essential services when managing a city or state.
Newsom invited Trump to visit the fire-ravaged areas of California, an invitation Trump reportedly accepted, planning a visit to Southern California. The visit would be his first to the state since his inauguration.
