Trump to tour La Wildfires after threats to withhold aid over water policy, chooses -ID

President Donald Trump tour injuries on Friday caused by fires in Los Angeles on Friday as he continues to feud with California Gov. Gavin Newsom over his handling of the disaster and federal aid.

Trump told Fox News’ Sean Hannity on Wednesday that he was going to Los Angeles after stopping in North Carolina, which was hit by Hurricane Helene in September.

“I’m stopping in North Carolina, first up, because these people were treated very badly by Democrats, and I’m stopping there,” Trump told Hannity. “We’re going to get that thing fixed because they’re still suffering from a hurricane from months ago. And then I’m going to—I’m going to California.”

Newsom told reporters Thursday that he would be at the airport to welcome the president.

Trump and Republican congressional leaders have said they would attach conditions to federal disaster aid that require changes to California’s water policy and forest management.

“I don’t think we should give California anything until they let the water flow down,” the president told Hannity, arguing that water from Northern California should be diverted south.

Then on Friday, he added another — political — condition.

“I want to see two things in Los Angeles, voter ID, so the people have a chance to vote, and I want to see the water released and coming down in Los Angeles and the state. Those are the two things,” Trump said.

ABC News has started “SoCal Strong” (#SocalStrong), highlighting the affected communities and Offers fundraising opportunities For victims of fires. Coverage continues across several ABC news programs and platforms.

California officials have repeatedly refuted Trump’s claims.

Trump’s claims that measures to protect the Delta Smelt, an endangered fish, are affecting the Upstate’s water supply are false, according to Ashley Overhouse, a California water policy adviser for the nonprofit conservation organization Defenders of Wildlife.

Overhouse told ABC News That even the most protective regulations for the Delta Smelt under former President Barack Obama’s administration only accounted for approx. 1.2% of additional outflow.

On Thursday, the House passed the Fixing Our Forests Act, a bipartisan measure designed to prevent catastrophic wildfires and provide proper forest management as California continues.

More: California firing live updates

The bill provides firefighters with information on how much and when they are reimbursed for wildfire costs, supports post-fire recovery activities, assesses and helps better predict fires in high-risk areas and states through data, expedites environmental reviews to reduce planning times and costs for critical forest management and establish an interagency center to assist state and local governments.

Trump to tour La Wildfires after threats to withhold aid over water policy, chooses -ID originally appeared on abcnews.go.com