Trump Threatens to Withhold Disaster Aid from California Fires

The Fires and the Threat

In January 2025, catastrophic wildfires swept through the Los Angeles area, destroying thousands of homes and forcing widespread evacuations. The Palisades Fire and the Eaton Fire burned through neighborhoods in Pacific Palisades, Altadena, and surrounding communities, becoming among the most destructive fires in California history. As residents and firefighters struggled to contain the blazes, President Trump publicly threatened to condition federal disaster relief on California meeting his demands regarding water policy and immigration enforcement.

Trump’s Conditions

Trump’s demands centered on long-standing disputes between his administration and California. He insisted that California Governor Gavin Newsom sign agreements to increase water deliveries from Northern California to the state’s agricultural Central Valley, a policy battle that pitted environmental protections for endangered fish species against irrigation needs. Trump also demanded that California cooperate with federal immigration enforcement, a reversal of the state’s sanctuary policies. He posted on social media that he would withhold disaster relief until the state agreed to his terms, writing that Newsom should “turn on the water.”

Backlash and Criticism

The threat to condition disaster aid drew bipartisan criticism. Emergency management experts said politicizing disaster relief was dangerous and unprecedented in modern history. Local officials, including Republican and Democratic mayors in affected areas, pleaded for immediate assistance regardless of political disputes. Former FEMA officials said the approach could undermine public trust in the federal government’s commitment to helping Americans in crisis. Democrats in Congress accused Trump of holding disaster victims hostage for political leverage.

The Federal Response

Despite the threats, FEMA did begin processing aid to California, and Trump eventually signed a major disaster declaration for the affected areas. However, the episode set a troubling precedent for the use of disaster aid as a political bargaining tool. California officials continued to clash with the White House over the terms and pace of federal assistance. The fires ultimately caused tens of billions of dollars in damage, and the rebuilding process became entangled in the broader political conflict between the Trump administration and one of the most reliably Democratic states in the country.