Newsom is accused by Trump of prioritizing the protection of endangered fish species over safeguarding residents from wildfires.

Gov. Gavin Newsom was accused by President-elect Trump of prioritizing the protection of an endangered fish species over the safety of California's residents during wildfires.

The president-elect has consistently criticized Democrats in California for restricting access to water from the Sacramento and San Joaquin rivers in the northern part of the state. He frequently addressed the issue during his 2016 campaign and, during his first term, Trump attempted to redirect more water away from the delta where the two rivers converge, which is home to an endangered fish species called smelt.

Newsom and his administration challenged the notion that diverting water would not harm fish in court, arguing that opinions suggesting otherwise were incorrect. Previously, Newsom opposed the construction of a pipeline to divert water south, and he has overseen programs in his state that release hundreds of billions of gallons of stormwater buildup into the Sacramento-San Jaoquin River Delta to benefit smelt habitat rather than redirecting the water south for use by people in the central and southern parts of the state.

On Wednesday, Trump sparked controversy on his Truth Social platform by criticizing Newsom for prioritizing the protection of an unimportant fish species over the water needs of Californians. This criticism is not new, as Trump made a similar claim during an October interview with Joe Rogan prior to the November election.

"He recounted his experience in California farmland with some congressmen to Rogan. While driving on a highway, he questioned the barrenness of the land, which was supposed to be farmland. He pointed out a small corner that was green and beautiful, but the congressmen explained that there was no water due to a drought. When he asked why there was no water, they revealed that the water was being routed up north to protect a small fish, resulting in the loss of millions of gallons of water."

At least five people have been killed and hundreds of thousands have been displaced due to California's devastating wildfires. The Palisades Fire has burned over 17,000 acres of land, which is equivalent to the size of Manhattan. The estimated damage from these fires is in the tens of billions of dollars.

Reports indicate that the president-elect's claims are being supported by evidence that firefighters are running out of water while fighting the blaze, prompting the state to mobilize resources to refill depleted water supplies.

According to Rick Caruso, a billionaire developer who ran for mayor in 2022, there is no water coming out of the fire hydrants in the Palisades, which he believes is a result of mismanagement by the city. He stated that this is not the fault of the firefighters but the city's.

The governor's press office refuted Trump's accusations, stating that the president-elect was confusing two separate issues: the delivery of water to Southern California and the source of that water.

"Despite Trump's claims, there is no water shortage in Southern California at the moment, according to Newsom's office. However, the Los Angeles Department of Water and Power stated that high water demand and ongoing fires have hindered the ability of crews to refill tanks at higher elevations. To address this issue, they have resorted to using water tenders to supply water, a common practice in wildland firefighting."

On Thursday, firefighters in California made progress towards slowing the spread of the fire, as reported by The Associated Press. Crews were able to eliminate a fire that broke out in the Hollywood Hills on Wednesday evening and had lifted the evacuation order by Thursday. However, the fires continue to burn and most are only partially contained as of Thursday afternoon, according to reports.