President Trump said Wednesday that he ordered a halt on federal emergency funding to California to fight wildfires — claiming the money is being wasted amid mismanagement.
“Billions of dollars are sent to the State of California for Forrest fires that, with proper Forrest Management, would never happen,” Trump said in a tweet.
“Unless they get their act together, which is unlikely, I have ordered FEMA to send no more money. It is a disgraceful situation in lives & money!”
The Federal Emergency Management Agency falls under the auspices of the Department of Homeland Security, which has been left unfunded by the ongoing partial government shutdown.
The president made his declaration less than two months after promising “substantial” funds in the wake of the blazes that swept through the state — a pledge then-Gov. Jerry Brown described as a “big, big win” for California.
“The president not only has signed a presidential declaration giving California substantial funding, but he said and pledged very specifically to continue to help us — that he’s got our back,” Brown told CBS’ “Face the Nation” on Nov. 18.
A day earlier, Trump visited the scorched remains of Paradise, a city of 27,000 that was mostly destroyed by a wildfire that killed at least 86 people and leveled more than 10,000 homes.
Days after the Camp Fire began burning, Trump threatened to withhold federal payments to California, accusing the Golden State of “poor” forest management.
“There is no reason for these massive, deadly and costly fires in California,” he tweeted. “Billions of dollars are given each year, with so many lives lost, all because of gross mismanagement of the forests. Remedy now, or no more Fed payments!”
During his trip to France a few days earlier, Trump tweeted: “With proper Forest Management, we can stop the devastation constantly going on in California. Get Smart!”
The president’s comments at the time were slammed by lawmakers, celebrities and experts as ill-informed and simplistic. The International Association of Firefighters called the statements “reckless and insulting.”
Insurance claims from the recent spate of California wildfires have topped $9 billion and are expected to grow, the state insurance commissioner reported last month.
California utility PG&E Corp. is exploring filing for bankruptcy protection for some or all of its business as it faces billions of dollars in liabilities in connection with fatal wildfires in 2018 and 2017, according to Reuters.
