California Gov. Gavin Newsom was roasted online after he posted footage of himself visiting the fires burning Los Angeles – with critics accusing him of turning the disaster into a photo-op.
“On the ground getting briefed,” Newsom wrote in a post on his X account Tuesday afternoon, explaining that he was being briefed by California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection on the disaster.
After California Gov. Gavin Newsom posted an Instagram Story of himself coming to the scene of the Palisades Fire. Anadolu via Getty ImagesThe liberal governor paired it with a clip of himself looking resolutely about as a fire official points out the wall of flames and enormous column of smoke billowing rising over their heads and consuming a neighborhood.
Clad in sunglasses with his hands in his pockets, Newsom nods as the fire official points about, and even joins in to point at the giant flame.
Stay up to date with the NYP’s coverage of the terrifying LA-area fires
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The three fires still burning in LA as of Tuesday — Hurst, Palisades and Eaton — and the acreage they have burned. New York PostThe peanut gallery was close at hand with some biting commentary.
“Gavin Newsom has arrived for the photo op of him watching his state burn to the ground,” the X account Libs of TikTok wrote, reposting the clip.
“JUST IN: California Gov. Gavin Newsom has showed up to the scene of the Palisades fire to put his hands in his back pockets,” wrote the Popular conservative X account Breaking 911.
“*Points to a fire* ‘Yup, she’s a burnin,’” wrote another user.
Newsom and other California democrats like Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass have become the focus of ire around the fires raging across the city.
Bass cut the city’s fire department by $17.6 million this fiscal year, while President Elect Donald Trump also criticized Newsom Wednesday by accusing him of refusing to divert water from northern California.
“Now the ultimate price is being paid. I will demand that this incompetent governor allow beautiful, clean, fresh water to FLOW INTO CALIFORNIA! He is to blame for this,” Trump wrote on Truth Social.
Newsom’s office called Trump’s accusations “pure fiction” in a statement.
“The Governor is focused on protecting people, not playing politics, and making sure firefighters have all the resources they need,” a Newsom spokesperson said.
