President-elect Donald Trump is considering going to southern California to survey the damage caused by the deadly wildfire that broke out last week, according to reports.
The trip could take place as soon as next week after he’s sworn into office on Monday, the Wall Street Journal reported.
The tentative plans will be finalized after his advisers determine if the travel would interfere with efforts to put out the fires, according to the outlet.
The incoming president has been vocal about the devastating fire that broke out in the mountains of Pasadena and has blamed the state government — specifically Gov. Gavin Newsom — for failing to have enough resources to put out the fire quickly.
“The fires are still raging in L.A. The incompetent pols have no idea how to put them out. Thousands of magnificent houses are gone, and many more will soon be lost. There is death all over the place. This is one of the worst catastrophes in the history of our Country. They just can’t put out the fires. What’s wrong with them?” Trump wrote in a scathing Truth Social post on Sunday.
Newsom invited Trump to come see the devastation brought on California for himself, as the federal clean-up efforts and assistance will be in his hands after he takes over from President Biden Monday.
The Democratic governor called Trump himself and extended the invitation, he said in an NBC interview on Sunday, adding that he wants the cooperation between local and federal government to be “in the spirit of an open hand, not a closed fist.”
The early trip would be an opportunity for Trump to survey the damage and possibly direct the federal government to provide more resources to victims who lost their homes in the fire.
The Biden White House has been in touch with local authorities about the wildfires in California and has directed federal firefighters to assist in putting out the fires.
“At my direction, hundreds of federal personnel and unique federal aerial and ground support has been sent to California to support the firefighting efforts and help communities in need. My Administration remains laser-focused on helping survivors and we will continue to use every tool available to support the urgent firefight as the winds are projected to increase,” Biden said in a statement.
The president has not surveyed the fire damage himself, but was on the ground in LA when the fires broke out last week and canceled his planned speech in the state.
The Trump transition team did not respond to an inquiry from The Post.
