Donald Trump will visit the Los Angeles area to see the wildfire devastation, in what will mark his first official trip after his Monday inauguration, according to Saturday media reports.
Trump will arrive late next week, according to The Hill, which cites sources who spoke with its sister company NewsNation. The 47th president will be sworn in Monday in the Capitol Rotunda, a change from the traditional spot in front of the Capitol because of extreme cold temperatures in the forecast.
Underlying the smoke an ash in the air, there will be spice: The President-elect has been fiercely critical of California’s leaders – with whom he will surely meet – over their response to the fires.
Trump raged at California Gov. Gavin Newsom over the wildfires that have swept through several of Los Angeles’ Westside and northern regions, including the Pacific Palisades, Pasadena and Altadena, calling the Democrat “incompetent.”
“Governor Gavin Newscum refused to sign the water restoration declaration put before him that would have allowed millions of gallons of water, from excess rain and snow melt from the North, to flow daily into many parts of California, including the areas that are currently burning in a virtually apocalyptic way,” Trump wrote in a Truth Social post 0n Jan. 8.
The wildfires began Jan. 7 and have destroyed thousands of homes and tens of thousands of acres around the Los Angeles area. Officials say 27 people have been confirmed dead.
