SACRAMENTO — Gov. Gavin Newsom left California on Tuesday for Washington to meet with President Trump, administration officials 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 Pacific Palisades and Altadena.
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 and Newsom greeted him on the tarmac at Los Angeles International Airport.
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, and the state’s water policy with federal officials.
The trip also gives Newsom another chance to speak face-to-face with the president and patch a relationship that appeared to sour after Trump last left the White House. Despite trading barbs on social media and in the press, the Democratic governor and Republican president managed to maintain a collegial relationship behind the scenes and in public meetings during the president’s first term.
It’s unclear when Newsom will sit down with Trump. 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 the state’s bigger problems.
“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.”
During the special session, both parties in the California Legislature joined together last month to approve $2.5 billion for communities affected by the fires. Republicans have said the state needs to do more on forest management and wildfire prevention.
The governor is expected to return to California late Thursday.
