US President-elect Donald Trump took to Truth Social on Wednesday to express his frustration over the current state of emergency in California, accusing President Joe Biden of leaving him without the necessary resources to address the ongoing wildfire crisis, as well as future emergencies.
In a post, Trump wrote: “NO WATER IN THE FIRE HYDRANTS, NO MONEY IN FEMA. THIS IS WHAT JOE BIDEN IS LEAVING ME. THANKS JOE!”
The situation in California has grown dire, with firefighters facing severe water shortages as wildfires continue to rage across the state. Across Pacific Palisades and other areas, fire hydrants have run dry, leaving emergency responders unable to access enough water to contain the flames. In many places, water supplies have dwindled, and pressure in hoses has dropped, leaving firefighters desperate for resources
The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), a key US government agency responsible for disaster response and recovery, has reportedly been left without adequate funds to prepare for future crises, leaving California ill-prepared to handle the current wildfire situation. Trump claims this will leave him without the necessary financial support when he is inaugurated as the 47th President of the United States on January 20.
Earlier, Trump had also slammed California Governor Gavin Newsom, pointing fingers at the state’s lack of preparation for such disasters.
In a post on the social media platform Truth Social, he wrote: “As of this moment, Gavin Newscum and his Los Angeles crew have contained exactly zero percent of the fire. It’s burning at levels even worse than last night. This is not government. I can’t wait until January 20th!”
As wildfires burn, the water demand has far exceeded what local municipal systems can provide, leading to a growing public concern over the ability to combat the fires effectively. County officials have been urging residents to conserve water to ensure there’s enough for firefighters and emergency response efforts. “We’re fighting a wildfire with urban water systems, and that is really challenging,” said Janisse Quiñones, chief engineer for the Los Angeles Department of Water and Power.