Newsom invites Trump to California to see LA fire damage

Taryn Luna, Los Angeles Times on Jan 10, 2025

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LOS ANGELES — Gov. Gavin Newsom sent a letter to President-elect Donald Trump on Friday inviting the incoming leader to California to meet with fire victims, survey the devastation in Los Angeles County and join him in thanking first responders.

The invitation, which the governor's office said was emailed to Trump's team, marks a change in tone in the political battle between Newsom and Trump.

"In the spirit of this great country, we must not politicize human tragedy or spread disinformation from the sidelines," Newsom said. "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."

Trump has been a vocal critic of Newsom since the fires began and blamed the governor and "his Los Angeles crew" for the disaster, though the Republican's claim that a lack of water in Southern California led to a shortage for firefighters have been widely debunked.

In a briefing earlier in the day with President Joe Biden, Newsom spoke out against the misinformation and lies.

"It breaks my heart, as people are suffering and struggling, that we're up against those hurricane forces as well," Newsom said. "It affects real people."

Trump previously traveled to California as president to survey fire damage after the Paradise fire in 2018 and a spate of wildfires in 2020.

The governor on Friday also called for an investigation into the water supply problems that left fire hydrants dry and hampered firefighting efforts in Pacific Palisades.

(Staff writer Faith Pinho contributed to this report.)