On Friday afternoon, President Donald Trump arrived in Los Angeles to survey the aftermath of the deadly wildfires that have ravaged the state. The president was greeted at Los Angeles International Airport (LAX) by California Governor Gavin Newsom, marking the first time the two have met face-to-face amid ongoing tensions between them.
Air Force One touched down at 2:55 p.m., with First Lady Melania Trump accompanying the president. After disembarking, Trump and Newsom exchanged a brief handshake before addressing the gathered media.
“I appreciate the governor coming out to meet me,” Trump remarked. “We want to fix this problem … it’s like a bomb went off.”
Trump’s visit was focused on the devastation caused by the Palisades Fire, as well as meeting with local lawmakers at a Los Angeles Fire Department station. Newsom thanked the president for making the trip and emphasized the importance of working together in the recovery efforts.
“We’re going to need your help,” Newsom said, referring to Trump’s support. “This means so much to us. Not only for the folks in Palisades but also those in Altadena who have been affected. We need your backing.”
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The governor went on to express confidence that California and the federal government could collaborate effectively to rebuild communities devastated by the fires. He also drew a parallel between the ongoing recovery efforts and the state’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic, which was one area where both he and Trump had found common ground.
“You were there for us during COVID,” Newsom said. “I haven’t forgotten that, and I’m hopeful we can work together to expedite recovery.”
Despite their past differences, the meeting between Trump and Newsom took place against the backdrop of a heated exchange between the two over the handling of California’s fires. Before his arrival in California, Trump had suggested that the federal government would not provide aid to Los Angeles unless new voter ID laws were enacted and changes were made to the state’s water management system.
The president has repeatedly argued that the state could have diverted more water to firefighters by simply turning a valve, a claim that Newsom and water experts have dismissed as inaccurate.
“Maybe the president just doesn’t understand that there’s no easy switch to turn on for the water problems he mentions,” Newsom responded earlier this week.
Additionally, Newsom has countered Trump’s criticisms of California’s forest management, stating that only 3% of the state’s forestland is under state control, with the majority being managed by the federal government.
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Although their relationship has been fraught with public exchanges and criticism, Newsom had agreed to meet Trump at LAX, and he was indeed present to welcome the president’s arrival, as captured in photos and videos from the scene.
“We’re here to get this done, and we’ll do it by working together,” Trump said during his comments.
After their meeting at LAX, Trump, First Lady Melania Trump, and Governor Newsom boarded Marine One for an aerial tour of the fire-damaged areas, continuing their efforts to assess the extent of the destruction. The president’s visit underscores the importance of federal support as California begins the long road to recovery.
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