By Daily Mail (U.S.) | Created at 2025-01-29 05:41:50 | Updated at 2025-01-30 08:05:47
1 day ago
Donald Trump is thanking the only person who could have turned on the water in the aftermath of Los Angeles' deadly spate of wildfires: Donald Trump.
Trump had previously claimed that he was able to get the U.S. military to have 'TURNED ON THE WATER' in the aftermath of Los Angeles' deadly spate of wildfires.
He signed an executive order Friday demanding that federal agencies 'maximize' all water delivery to the Golden State and telling them to 'override' any state policies that could hinder them.
California attempted to clarify on social media, saying that the 'military did not enter California' and the pumps were only turned off due to maintenance.
'The federal government restarted federal water pumps after they were offline for maintenance for three days,' The California Department of Water Resources posted on X.
That didn't stop Trump from taking another victory lap on the issue Tuesday evening, giving himself a hearty kudos for the efforts.
'The water is flowing, big time, in Northern California. The long empty reservoirs will soon be full. Thank you President Trump!!!'
The state's full comment on the matter suggested this was all the fixing of the offline federal pumps.
'State water supplies in Southern California remain plentiful,' the agency said.
Donald Trump is thanking the only person who could have turned on the water in the aftermath of Los Angeles' deadly spate of wildfires: Donald Trump
However, two hours earlier, Trump took to Truth Social to say that he had fixed California's water problems.
'The United States Military just entered the Great State of California and, under Emergency Powers, TURNED ON THE WATER flowing abundantly from the Pacific Northwest, and beyond,' Trump said 'The days of putting a Fake Environmental argument, over the PEOPLE, are OVER.'
'Enjoy the water, California!!!' the new president added.
Trump visited Los Angeles on Friday after repeatedly making false claims about the state's fire response.
The 78-year-old president contends that there's a giant spigot that California needs to turn on to bring water into the Los Angeles area from the north.
He said California authorities - including the state's Democratic Gov. Gavin Newsom - failed to do that to preserve an endangered fish called a Delta smelt.
During a recent appearance on MSNBC, Newsom called Trump's spigot claims 'wild-eyed fantasies.'
'That somehow there's a magical spigot in Northern California that just can be turned on and all of a sudden there will be rain of water flowing everywhere,' Newsom said.
California attempted to clap back at the president on social media, saying that the federal government only 'restarted federal water pumps after they were offline for maintenance for three days'
Around 11 p.m. Monday Trump took to Truth Social to say that he had fixed California's water problems. 'Enjoy the water, California!!!' the newly sworn-in president boasted
On Sunday Trump had ordered the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation to deliver more water and hydropower through the Central Valley Project even if the order was in conflict with state or local laws.
Newsom's office pushed back explaining that the move wouldn't have made a difference during the height of the fires - as Los Angeles didn't suffer a water shortage.
President Joe Biden had explained that power outages had impacted some hydrants.
Some residents in the Pacific Palisades have sued over the fact that a 117-million-gallon reservoir built to help the area in case of fires was offline during the blazes.
The Los Angeles Times reported that the reservoir had been drained after a tear was found in the reservoir’s floating cover last January.
Work to repair the cover hadn't been completed by the time Palisades fire ripped through the area earlier this month.
