When Gov. Gavin Newsom, D-Calif., was asked about Los Angeles residents angry over his wildfire response, he defended himself, saying local leaders and people on his own team were giving him a clear picture of the devastation. Were not giving.
In an interview with the liberal podcast, “Pod Save America,” released Saturday, the governor said he has struggled to get “straight answers” about the wildfire response from lower-level leaders, revealing That this has hindered their response.
“So, I’m the governor of California and I want to know the answer. I have that question, I can’t tell you, how many people said, ‘What happened?’ – On my own team, ‘What happened?’… I’ll be frank with you, I wasn’t getting straight answers,” Newsom told co-host Jon Favreau, referencing his conversations with local leaders. .
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Gov. Gavin Newsom, D-Calif., hit out at people angry over his response to the wildfires, saying local leaders are not giving him straight answers about the crisis. (Getty/AP)
Favreau noted how one of his “best friends”, who lost his home in The Palisades, suggested that Newsom was “just trying to assign blame” for the crisis. He said many residents are “very angry” about the state’s response to the devastating fires and called on them to answer as the person who is “ultimately responsible” for the state.
Newsom acknowledged that he did not have a full understanding of why the response was delayed and appeared to shift responsibility to other leaders.
“Our team started talking to local leaders and saying, ‘What’s going on?'” Newsom began.
“And you weren’t getting straight answers from local leaders?” “I was getting different answers,” Favreau interjected, with Newsom confirming, “And so, for me, it’s not – when you start getting different answers, I don’t know the real story.” Can’t find it.”
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Newsom argued that Trump was exacerbating the crisis by spreading “damaging” information about the state’s wildfire response. (Valerie Plesh/Bloomberg via Getty Images)
Newsom said he was giving these leaders “a little grace” because he understands they are “assessing” the “emergency environment.”
He said anger was rising over the response to the wildfires because “nobody has the patience anymore.”
The governor then pointed the finger at President-elect Donald Trump, with whom he has been feuding since Trump accused Newsom of mishandling the wildfire response.
Trump on Wednesday criticized Newsom for not doing a “good job” throughout the crisis. He added, “It’s very sad because I’m trying to get Gavin Newsom to allow water to come in – you’re going to have a tremendous amount of water there, they send it out across the Pacific Ocean – because they’re trying to protect a small portion. Trying to fish. As for the smell, they don’t have water… It’s the fault of the governor, and you can say, the administration.”
Newsom’s press office responded to comments on “Hindered the ability to reach the pump.”
“Broadly speaking, despite Trump’s claims that he will open some imaginary bottleneck, there is currently no water shortage in Southern California,” it says.
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During the podcast interview, Newsom again criticized Trump for the claims and said the president is spreading misinformation.
“It’s words. It’s a salad. It’s the form and substance of the fog. It’s made up. It’s delusional and it’s been a consistent mantra of Trump’s for years and years and years, and it’s been repeated within the right wing -The bar is strengthened.”
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The governor said Trump has managed to bring this alleged affinity for misinformation “to this crisis in an extremely outrageous and harmful way.”
Trump transition team spokesman Steven Cheung responded to Newsom’s allegation, telling Fox News Digital, “Instead of getting on a liberal podcast, maybe Newscom [sic] He should do his job and actually help those who are suffering under his terrible leadership.”
