SACRAMENTO — Gov. Gavin Newsom left California on Tuesday bound for Washington to talk with the Trump administration and members of Congress about federal disaster aid in response to the Los Angeles County wildfires.
The trip marks a continuation of the Democratic governor’s effort to cross party lines and convince Republican national leaders to support rebuilding and recovery efforts in the Pacific Palisades and Altadena.
President Trump previously threatened to withhold wildfire aid unless his conditions were met, but appeared to relent and pledged to work with California when he visited the state last month.
Newsom’s office said traveling to Washington will provide the governor with an opportunity to discuss the details of California’s request for aid, which has not yet been made to Congress.
It’s unclear whether Newsom will sit down with Trump during the trip. The governor’s office has not provided information about his itinerary.
The push to work with the federal government comes as California Democrats and Republicans have all but abandoned calls for bipartisanship at the state Capitol.
Newsom flew to Washington one day after Democrats in the Legislature concluded his divisive special session to provide $50 million for court battles against the Trump administration and legal services for immigrants, which was approved with party-line votes.
Assembly Republican Leader James Gallagher (R-Yuba City) said the funding to “Trump-proof” California contradicted calls from Democrats to find common ground with Republicans. He cast the funding as a distraction from bigger problems plaguing the state.
“Rather than sitting here today arguing over how we’re going to fight Donald Trump and how we’re going to give more money to government lawyers, that is what we’re doing, to go fight Donald Trump, we could be talking about how we can make things more affordable,” Gallagher said during floor debates Monday on the legislation. “We could be talking about wildfire.”
Both parties in the California Legislature joined together last month to approve $2.5 billion for communities affected by the fires under the special session. Republicans have said the state needs to do more on forest management and wildfire prevention.
The governor is expected to return to California on Thursday.
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