
President Donald Trump is set to make a presidential visit to California this Friday, marking his first official trip since the commencement of his second term. The focus of his visit will be to survey the destruction caused by the recent wildfires in the Los Angeles area. In a statement obtained by NBC News, Trump has previously critiqued California's leadership for their handling of the wildfires and has connected the devastation to state and local water management policies.
Before departing the White House, in a Fox News interview reported by KTLA, Trump mentioned, "I will say that Los Angeles has changed everything because a lot of money is going to be necessary for Los Angeles ... I don't think we should give California anything until they let water flow..." The president has suggested that federal aid to the state might be conditional on changes to California's water management policies
As the visit approaches, the relationship between Trump and California Governor Gavin Newsom continues to be contentious. Governor Newsom, responding to the president's criticism, told KTLA, “Maybe the president just doesn’t know that there’s not a spigot that can be turned to solve all the water problems that he alleges exist, that don't exist, as it relates to the state water system here in Southern California.” Despite the back and forth, Newsom has indicated his intention to welcome the president at the airport.