California Gov. Gavin Newsom sent a letter to President-elect Donald Trump on Friday, inviting him to come see the effects of the wildfires in Los Angeles for himself.
In the letter, Newsom invites Trump to come see the damage, meet with first responders and displaced victims and thank firefighters and emergency personnel for their work.
"In the spirit of this great country, we must not politicize human tragedy or spread disinformation from the sidelines," Newsom wrote. "Hundreds of thousands of Americans — displaced from their homes and fearful for the future — deserve to see all of us working in their best interests to ensure a fast recovery and rebuild."
.@realDonaldTrump, as you prepare to assume the presidency once more, I invite you to come to California.
— Gavin Newsom (@GavinNewsom) January 10, 2025
The hundreds of thousands of Americans – displaced from their homes and fearful for the future – deserve to see us all working together in their best interests, not… pic.twitter.com/R3C7cGqdBh
Trump, who will be inaugurated as President of the United States on Jan. 20, has criticized Newsom's handling of the disaster and propagated misinformation about response efforts.
In a social media post on Thursday, Trump claimed that water distribution issues during the response to the fires were connected to environmental policy decisions made earlier to balance statewide water resources and protect endangered species.
Later that night, he told Republican governors at his Mar-a-Lago club that he would "force" Newsom to make policy changes.
"But it’s very late because I think it’s one of the great catastrophes in the history of our nation," Trump said.
RELATED STORY | Newsom orders investigation into loss of water pressure at fire hydrants
Newsom on Friday ordered an investigation into the water pressure and distribution problems that plagued responders earlier in the week.
"While water supplies from local fire hydrants are not designed to extinguish wildfires over large areas, losing supplies from fire hydrants likely impaired the efforts to protect some homes and evacuation corridors," Newsom said.
