Newsom Plans Tarmac Ambush as Trump Surveys Wildfire Devastation [WATCH]

California Governor Gavin Newsom announced plans to meet President Donald Trump during his visit to California on Friday to survey the damage caused by recent wildfires.

Despite not being formally invited, Newsom told reporters Thursday that he would greet the president on the tarmac at Los Angeles International Airport (LAX).

“I look forward to being there on the tarmac to thank the president, welcome him, and we’re making sure that all the resources he needs for a successful briefing are provided to him,” Newsom said.

“There’s no limit to the resources we’ll provide for that briefing.”

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The meeting comes amid long-standing tensions between the two leaders.

Trump and Newsom have often clashed publicly, with Trump criticizing Newsom’s handling of the state’s wildfire response.

Resurfaced Video Proves Trump Was Right About Gavin Newsom and the Wildfires…

Los Angeles County is grappling with devastating wildfires that have displaced tens of thousands of residents and left vast swathes of land in ashes.

As the blazes rage out of control, a video of… pic.twitter.com/6QGlgZKUzD

— RVM News (@redvoicenews) January 9, 2025

The Los Angeles area has been battling multiple wildfires since January 7, including the Palisades and Eaton fires, which have killed at least 28 people and destroyed more than 14,000 structures.

The Hughes Fire, which broke out Wednesday morning near Castaic Lake, has burned nearly 16 square miles but was one-third contained by late Thursday.

Two new fires erupted Thursday in the San Diego area, one in La Jolla near the University of California, San Diego, and another in the Otay Mountain Wilderness near the U.S.-Mexico border.

Firefighters quickly gained control of the La Jolla blaze, while the Otay fire continued to spread.

Evacuation orders were lifted in several areas, but nearly 54,000 residents in the Castaic region remained under evacuation warnings as of Thursday, according to the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department.

The National Weather Service predicts rain will arrive Saturday, which could help firefighting efforts but also raises concerns about debris flows in charred areas.

President Trump has been vocal about his dissatisfaction with California’s wildfire management.

He has accused the state of mismanaging water resources, claiming too much water is sent to the Pacific Ocean instead of being directed toward fire-prone areas.

In one of his first actions after returning to the White House, Trump directed federal officials to draft plans to route more water to California’s Central Valley and urban centers in the south.

He also warned state leaders that federal disaster aid could be withheld unless California changes its water management policies.

Despite their differences, Newsom emphasized a willingness to work with the Trump administration during the visit.

“I wanna work with him, it’s not about me” – Gavin Newsom, claiming he wants to work with Trump while simultaneously setting aside 50 million taxpayer dollars to do nothing but fight Trump pic.twitter.com/pGcKJUYEEs

— Kevin Dalton (@TheKevinDalton) January 15, 2025

“Let me get this straight. While large chunks of SoCal are literally burnt to a crisp, people are losing their home in an instant. Their entire livelihoods, gone… yet we have Gavin Newsom asking the government for $50M … in order to combat Donald Trump!”

This is SPOT ON pic.twitter.com/KQQE4H2lmt

— TONY™ (@TONYxTWO) January 14, 2025

“I have a lot of relationships in the Trump world; a lot of relationships of trust. I communicate with a lot of folks around him, folks that have his ear and influence,” he said, though he did not name specific individuals.

Newsom suggested that discussions might also focus on preparing Los Angeles for the 2028 Olympics.

“This is a sideshow, a lot of this stuff,” he said, referring to the political tension.

“All I care about is what we can do together to move past this moment and start rowing in the same direction to get this region back on its feet.”

The wildfires have caused an estimated $28 billion in insured damage, with additional uninsured losses likely, according to disaster modeling firm Karen Clark and Company.

On Thursday, the California Legislature approved a $2.5 billion fire relief package to assist the Los Angeles area and other regions affected by the fires.

However, California Republicans are pushing back against suggestions by Trump and other federal leaders that disaster aid should be conditional on changes to the state’s wildfire and water management strategies.

While there are no formal plans for Trump and Newsom to meet during the president’s visit, their potential interaction on Friday could mark an important step in addressing the challenges posed by California’s wildfires and broader issues of disaster management and recovery.

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