California Gov. Gavin Newsom traveled to Washington, D.C., on Tuesday to meet with President Donald Trump and members of Congress in hopes of securing more money following deadly wildfires in the Los Angeles area.
The visit, which was confirmed by the White House, comes just one day after California lawmakers approved $25 million in legal funding to challenge the Trump administration.
This will be Newsom’s first visit to the capital since Trump took over and is a continuation of his plea for additional federal funding to aid in wildfire recovery.
Trump had threatened to withhold wildfire aid until certain stipulations were met in California, including changes to water policy and requiring an ID to vote, but now appears willing to work with Newsom following a visit to the Golden State last month.
The two have remained friendly in person, despite frequently criticizing one another on social media.
NEWSOM CALLS TRUMP’S CLAIMS ‘PURE FICTION’ AFTER HE POINTED FINGER OVER CALIFORNIA FIRE TRAGEDY
Trump has placed a lot of blame for the deadly wildfires on Newsom, Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass and the policies approved by state lawmakers. In an executive order issued last month, he described management of the state’s land and water resources as “disastrous.”
“This tragedy affects the entire Nation, so it is in the Nation’s interest to ensure that California has what it needs to prevent and fight these fires and others in the future,” Trump wrote. “Therefore, it is the policy of the United States to provide Southern California with necessary water resources, notwithstanding actively harmful State or local policies.”
An itinerary is not currently available for the trip, but Newsom is expected to return to California on Thursday.
