President Donald Trump laid out two conditions on Friday that he linked to federal aid for California.
Trump was touring North Carolina for hurricane recovery efforts when a reporter asked if he would withhold “funding to Los Angeles because of its sanctuary city policies.”
“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, standing near Air Force One at Asheville Airport in Fletcher, North Carolina.
“After that, I will be the greatest president that California has ever seen,” he said.
🚨 BREAKING: Trump lays out two conditions for Los Angeles and all of California to follow after being asked about potentially withholding disaster aid.
1) Voter ID
2) Let the water flow“Voter ID for the people of California, [and] the water to be released. And they’ll get a… pic.twitter.com/uO2KYdgK9C
— Eric Daugherty (@EricLDaugh) January 24, 2025
The office of California Gov. Gavin Newsom fired back on social media Friday, criticizing the president.
“Conditioning aid for American citizens is wrong,” the office said in a statement on the social media platform X, declaring that identification is required to register to vote in California and defending the state’s water managerment policies.
If California refuses to follow through, should Trump keep federal aid locked up indefinitely?
Yes: 92% (509 Votes)
No: 8% (42 Votes)
“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.
“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,” the post concluded.
Conditioning aid for American citizens is wrong.
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… https://t.co/obwSGH74Eb
— Governor Newsom Press Office (@GovPressOffice) January 24, 2025
As Newsweek reported in September, California does not have a state law requiring identification to actually vote, and Newsom has signed legislation preventing local government from instituting their own requirements.
Democrats might disagree, but for conservatives, election security and making the most of natural resources through intelligent water management are the keys to unleashing California’s inherent strengths.
Trump’s reluctance to blindly shower California with federal aid comes as no surprise, given his public criticisms of Newsom and, more recently, Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass.
Both have been criticized at large for their mishandling of the crisis.
Bass has been slammed for reportedly cutting the city’s fire department budget by $17.6 million, according to The Hollywood Reporter.
“Fire is spreading rapidly for 3 days — ZERO CONTAINMENT,” Trump wrote on Truth Social Jan. 9.
“Nobody has ever seen such failed numbers before! Gross incompetence by Gavin Newscum and Karen Bass….And Biden’s FEMA has no money — all wasted on the Green New Scam! L.A. is a total wipeout!!!”
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