Vice President-elect JD Vance strongly dismissed claims that President-elect Donald Trump might withhold federal aid from California as the state works to recover from devastating wildfires.<\/p>\n
During an appearance on\u00a0Fox News Sunday<\/em>, host Shannon Bream asked Vance about Trump\u2019s remarks at a September 2024 press conference in Los Angeles, where he suggested withholding funds unless the state improved its spending practices.<\/p>\n \u201cWe won\u2019t give him money to put out all his fires,\u201d Trump said at the time. \u201cAnd if we don\u2019t give him the money to put out his fires, he\u2019s got problems.\u201d<\/p>\n When asked whether the Trump administration was seriously considering withholding assistance, Vance categorically denied the notion, emphasizing that Trump is committed to strengthening the federal government\u2019s disaster response.<\/p>\n \u201cNo, look, President Trump cares about all Americans, right? He is the president for all Americans,\u201d Vance asserted. \u201cAnd I think that he intends to have FEMA and other federal responses much, much better and much more clued into what\u2019s going on there on the ground.\u201d<\/p>\n Vance also responded to California Governor Gavin Newsom\u2019s invitation for Trump to visit the state, saying, \u201cI know the president would love to visit California,\u201d adding, \u201cOur hearts go out to those affected by the natural disasters.\u201d<\/p>\n Regardless of political affiliation, Vance acknowledged the widespread devastation, saying, \u201cIt\u2019s hard not to see those images and just be heartbroken for our fellow Americans who are going through a very tough time.\u201d<\/p>\n He went on to stress that the federal government must improve its disaster relief efforts, pledging that the Trump administration will focus on more effective responses. \u201cThat\u2019s true for the hurricane victims and flood victims in North Carolina. It\u2019s true for the fire victims in California,\u201d he stated. \u201cWe just\u2014we have to do a better job. We need competent, good governance.\u201d<\/p>\n However, Vance did not shy away from criticizing Newsom\u2019s leadership, arguing that poor state governance had contributed to California\u2019s wildfire crisis.<\/p>\n \u201cThere is a serious lack of competent governance in California, and I think it\u2019s part of the reason why these fires have gotten so bad,\u201d Vance stated. \u201cWe need to do a better job at both the state and federal level.\u201d<\/p>\n He pointed to longstanding infrastructure issues, saying, \u201cSome of these reservoirs have been dry for 15, 20 years. The fire hydrants are being reported as going dry while the firefighters are trying to put out the fires. There was a serious lack of competent governance in California.\u201d<\/p>\n Meanwhile, tensions between the Trump administration and California escalated as the state\u2019s Democratic leadership took legislative steps to prepare for legal battles with the incoming president.<\/p>\n WATCH:<\/p>\n \ud83d\udea8JD Vance on the wildfires: <\/p>\n \u201cSome of these reservoirs have been dry for 15, 20 years. The fire hydrants are being reported as going dry while the firefighters are trying to put out the fires. There was a serious lack of competent governance in CA.\u201d — Benny Johnson (@bennyjohnson) January 12, 2025<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n \n
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