President Trump Calls for Voter ID, Water Flows as Conditions for Federal Wildfire Aid

During his visit to Los Angeles Friday to view the damage from the wildfires, President Donald Trump announced two conditions in order to receive federal aid: voter ID laws and for the state to stop diverting water flows to the Pacific Ocean, and instead send Northern California water to the southern state.

“I want to see two things in Los Angeles. Voter ID, so that the people have a chance to vote, and I want to see the water be released and come down into Los Angeles and throughout the state,” Trump said. “Those are the two things. After that, I will be the greatest president that California has ever seen.”

California provides drivers licenses to illegal immigrants under Assembly Bill 1766, called “California ID’s For All,” authored by Assemblyman Mark Stone (D-Scotts Valley) and supported by Assembly Speaker Robert Rivas (D-Salinas), who claimed “Everyone deserves access to identification. This legislation moves us one step closer to true equity for our undocumented neighbors.”

Gov. Newsom signed AB 1766 into law September 23, 2022.

Is it any wonder California politicians don’t want Voter ID requirements?

California Gov. Gavin Newsom’s office responded with a snarky fact-check claiming ID is required to prove citizenship, yet said that several other states do not require voter ID. Newsom’s office also said it is currently able to pump as much water as it could under Trump’s first-term policies.

FACT: Under current CA law you must be a CA resident and US citizen (and attest to being one under penalty of perjury) AND provide a form of ID such as driver’s license or passport that has been approved by the Secretary of State in order to register to vote. https://sos.ca.gov/elections/frequently-asked-questions

FACT: 15 states do not generally require voter ID at polls, including Nevada and Pennsylvania (two states won by President Trump).

FACT: California pumps as much water now as it could under prior Trump-era policies.

Here’s a FACT: Gov. Gavin Newsom signed legislation in 2024 to make it illegal to require voter ID to vote in person – specifically, the law prevents local governments from requiring voters to present identification at the polls. The new law was in response to passage of the Huntington Beach voter ID requirement, notably approved by the city’s residents in March 2024, and upheld by a judge in November. It allows local officials to request that voters present ID at the polls and also increases polling locations and authorizes  greater monitoring of drop boxes, the Globe reported.

Here’s another FACT: California is now the number one state to illegally cross into the United States. And why wouldn’t illegal aliens look to California – the first state to offer health insurance for all illegal immigrants, unemployment pay, and drivers licenses, and free education, and many layers of welfare benefits… illegal immigrants in California can apply for Disability Insurance (DI) and Paid Family Leave benefits, even if they do not have a Social Security number, according to the California EDD.

It’s only Democrat politicians who push for no voter ID to vote, who push for illegal aliens to have a valid ID, and who have allowed California’s water to flow to the ocean instead of to farmers and Central and Southern California cities.

“We like water to put out fires,” Trump said at his Los Angeles roundtable meeting Friday. “It’s really quite efficient,” he added.

Politicians from Governor Gavin Newsom, to Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass, to LA County Supervisors and LA City Council, have insisted that nothing could be done to put out the fires. Nitwits in the media are parroting the same ridiculous message.

But Mayor Bass cut the LA Fire Department budget by $17.6 million last year. She wanted to cut it by $23 million.

Gov. Newsom slashed roughly $150 million from Cal Fire’s wildfire prevention budget.

The state sends 80% of California’s water to the ocean in unimpaired flows for “environmental” purposes. And Governor Newsom took four dams down on the Klamath River recently.

These are the policies and politically-charged moves President Trump is focused on.

It was interesting how Gavin Newsom appeared so contrite in Trump’s presence as he said he needs the President’s help, but away from the president, he’s cocky and continues to obfuscate about the state’s water policies and voter ID requirements.

As do Democrat leaders.

It’s the federal funding Newsom wants, and apparently he will say and do anything to get it.

“Moments after setting aside 50 million taxpayer dollars to ‘Trump proof’ California, Assembly Speaker Robert Rivas asks Trump not to play politics when it comes to California wildfire recovery aid,” Kevin Dalton accurately noted on X.

California’s Democrat supermajority Legislature is filled with elected politicians who have been raised as activists, rather than policy wonks who understand and appreciate proper, common sense governing.

These politicians are responsible for California’s terrible policies which have and continue to result in devastation, loss of property and loss of life. They prioritized “Trump Proofing” the state over fireproofing it. Rather than prioritizing hiding children’s gender transitioning from parents, they could have shown concern about California’s ridiculously high cost of living, which is exploding even higher on essentials like housing, food, utilities, gas and healthcare. Rather than scheming on ways to increase the state’s already highest taxes in the nation, they could have cut taxes and regulations. Rather than increasing gas taxes making our gas the highest priced in the country, they could have re-opened oil drilling and natural gas extraction, and removed the severe regulations and restrictions on the few remaining refineries in the state.

These are the priorities of the people of California. How many cities, neighborhoods and houses have to burn down before the people start demanding that our priorities become the politicians priorities?