In summary
The big unknown: Will California’s governor meet with the president, who has threatened to impose an array of conditions on LA fire aid?
A day after California lawmakers finalized approval of $25 million in legal funding to challenge the Trump administration, Gov. Gavin Newsom headed east today for his first D.C. visit of the new Trump era.
The Democratic governor left for Washington midday, his office announced, and is expected to stay through Thursday to lobby for assistance for the Los Angeles fires.
“The Governor’s trip is focused on securing critical disaster aid for the survivors of the Los Angeles fires and ensuring impacted families who lost their homes and livelihoods have the support they need to rebuild and recover,” spokesperson Izzy Gardon said in a statement.
The big question is whether Newsom will sit down with President Donald Trump, who has repeatedly threatened to condition aid for Los Angeles — including on changes to water policy and a voter ID requirement — since the devastating fires broke out nearly a month ago.
Neither the White House nor the governor’s office would confirm. Gardon said Newsom’s schedule is still coming together, though he plans to meet with Trump administration officials and members of Congress.
The trip to Washington follows a week and a half after Trump briefly stopped in Los Angeles to survey fire damage. Though the president conspicuously excluded Newsom from that tour, he did manage — after much public back-and-forth — to greet Trump at the airport, where the two men embraced. It was reportedly their first conversation since the president’s first term ended four years ago.
Since then, Trump has notably eased up on his criticisms of Newsom, whom he often refers to as “Newscum,” and California’s response to the fires. His support could be crucial for getting an aid package through the Republican-controlled Congress.
Newsom, in turn, has remained almost silent as the president continues to sign a series of controversial executive orders advancing sweeping changes to the federal government. The governor did not comment on Monday when the state Legislature concluded a special session, called by Newsom himself, to defend California in potential clashes with the Trump administration. Nor was he among a group of Democratic governors who, on a private call reported last week by the New York Times, urged congressional Democrats to fight back harder.