Trump: LA Wildfires Are Worse Than a Nuclear Strike

Former U.S. President Donald Trump compares the devastation caused by Los Angeles wildfires to a nuclear strike, highlighting the urgent need for disaster management and prevention measures.

US President-elect Donald Trump has likened the destruction caused by the Los Angeles wildfires to a nuclear attack, cautioning that the number of fatalities could increase in the upcoming days. He criticized California’s leadership, especially Governor Gavin Newsom, implying that poor management has worsened the situation.

The wildfires that erupted last week in Southern California have resulted in at least 24 fatalities, scorching over 40,000 acres and demolishing more than 12,000 structures. Entire neighborhoods have been razed to the ground.

Los Angeles Sheriff Robert Luna has announced that the Eaton fire has resulted in 16 deaths, while the Palisades fire accounts for eight fatalities. Additionally, there are still 16 individuals unaccounted for. As search teams equipped with cadaver-sniffing dogs persist in sifting through the wreckage, authorities anticipate an increase in the death toll.

In an interview with Newsmax, Trump anticipated that rescuers would discover “many more dead” and expressed confusion over the extent of the destruction.

“I think the destruction is even worse than if a nuclear weapon had struck. I’ve never seen anything like it before, with vast miles of homes completely burned to ashes and nothing left standing,” Trump told the outlet.

He mentioned that he had seen “very restricted images” of the destruction, suggesting that the disaster is “much worse than what you see on television, if that’s even believable.”

The president-elect attributed the magnitude of the tragedy to California’s leadership, claiming that it could have been averted with proper maintenance of forests and by permitting water from Canada to flow into the state. Trump specifically criticized Governor Newsom for placing environmental policies above human lives and demanded his resignation.

According to the Wall Street Journal, former President Trump is contemplating a trip to Southern California to assess the fire damage firsthand. Sources close to him have revealed these plans. In an interview with Newsmax, he also showed interest in participating in rebuilding efforts for the area, saying, “We’re going to do things with Los Angeles. You know, I’m already putting my developer cap on.”

Governor Newsom has announced a state of emergency in the impacted regions and has requested additional assistance from federal agencies to manage the fires.

President Joe Biden, who is about to leave office, has also approved a Major Disaster Declaration. This approval allows federal resources to be allocated for response and recovery efforts.

According to recent estimates from AccuWeather’s forecasting service, the wildfires have resulted in losses ranging from $250 billion to $275 billion. This figure includes property destruction, firefighting costs, and economic disruption.