Despite delivering abrasing criticism to California leaders from afar, President Trump shared a warm hug with Governor Gavin Newsom and seemed to promise his support to Los Angeles while he went up to the state soil on Friday for the first time in his second term. The president said that he appreciated Newsom, who often publicly rides as “news victim”, greeted him in the asphalt and promised to help “fix” the damage to the state devastated by the fire. “They will need a lot of federal help. Unless you don't need any, what would be fine, ”said Trump shortly after leaving the plane, turning to Newsom with a slight smile. “We are going to need a lot of federal help,” Newsom told the president, caressing him in the shoulder of his Navy's suit jacket before Trump committed to “take care of things.”
Trump's visit to California offered revealing signs that the president and the Democratic governor can once again stop his perennial war of words in the press and in social networks to work together in times of crisis.
In question among often combined politicians it is much more than personal feelings: California will require billions in federal help to rebuild, and local and state entities are depositing on a large -scale reimbursements for their expenses.
Newsom was among a collection of prominent California Democrats who sought to play well with Trump on Friday in Los Angeles. His friendly Obertures marked a dramatic reversal of eight years ago, when the party increased a “resistance” to its conservative leadership that extended the political division throughout the country.
Now with forest fires throughout the county, work peacefully with the president could boost his political position.
But the president's trip to Deep Blue California was still dyed of political tension.
The comments to Newsom about the asphalt occurred hours after Trump sing a very different melody, telling journalists in North Carolina earlier on the day that the State helps the State would require a series of conditions, including the adoption of laws of voter identification. Newsom sharply rebuked the notion of federal aid that depended on changes in state policy in the days prior to the arrival of the president.
Trump has also repeatedly blamed Newsom for forest fires, saying that the governor is to blame for fire hydrants who dried in Palisades fire.
After leaving the governor on Friday, Trump doubled on his focus on the water supply and announced that he was signing an executive order “to open the pumps and valves in the north”, saying that he wants the water to be poured into the South California “as fast” as fast as possible. ”
Local water systems were pushed to their limits during the fire storm and a large deposit in Pacific Palisades was out of service, drawing state and local scrutiny. But experts have discredited Trump's claims about a broader lack of water in southern California.
Until hours before Trump landed, it was not clear if he and Newsom would even meet face to face.
After not responding to Newsom's calls or invitation to visit the state, Trump agreed to the governor's welcome on Friday. The interaction, which marked the first time that the two leaders have spoken in person since 2020, was relatively short.
Newsom was not invited to an informative session of forest fires that the president celebrated with the mayor of Los Angeles, Karen Bass, the Los Angeles County Supervisor, Kathryn Barger, and a large number of Democrats and Republicans in Congress.
The governor, who built his national profile in opposition to the commander of the Republican party during his first term, has adopted a more conflicting approach to Trump in recent months. Newsom has alternated between preventive attacks, such as its call to a special session to increase state legal funds to fight Trump and supplications of courtesy and cooperation.
The bass, on the contrary, has used a much more careful and conciliatory tone with the Head of State.
In previous fire reports, the mayor avoided studying studies for any question about possible tensions with Trump, instead of maintaining that she “was not worried” that the incoming president had some animosity towards the State.
While Newsom denounced aloud a lack of communication with the incoming administration, Bass said he had a “good call” with his staff and promoted his good relations with former legislative colleagues near Trump.
Part of this is a deeply rooted style. The former six -period congressman is a decidedly unwavering policy that exercises his power discreetly, a quiet bearing that has been the issue of harsh criticism during this crisis, when many angelen seemed to yearn for the strongest and stronger leadership under fire.
But that same discreet while, which is very different from the Newsom flash, it could also make the bass particularly suitable to deal with a volatile president whose support will be necessary not only to rebuild the city, but also prepare for a handful of incredibly High profile and resource intensive events on the horizon.
Los Angeles is scheduled to organize the FIFA World Cup in 2026, the Super Bowl in 2027 and the Summer Olympic Games in 2028.
Bass, who was sitting in a prominent position with the first lady Melania Trump during the information session of the Fire Station, thanked Trump for arriving in the city as soon after her inauguration and retreated her position that the city of the slow city will rebuild the efforts.
“I want you to know we are accelerating that. We absolutely need your help, ”Bass told the president.
The president's visit came during a moment of sharp political vulnerability for the mayor.
The bass was in an embassy cocktail in Ghana when the Palisades fire exploded earlier this month and remained out of the city during the first 24 hours of the storm of fire, an absence that caused intense criticisms.
She has prevented part of vituperation in recent days, although there are still questions about her political future leading the second largest city in the nation. A collaborative relationship with the White House, much less that guarantees that federal dollars continue to flow towards the coffers of the city, would let Bass change their own political narrative after the crisis.
