Former President Donald Trump issued a warning on Friday, stating that he would withhold federal disaster response funding from California due to Governor Gavin Newsom's stance on water deliveries to farmers. Trump voiced his intentions while speaking to reporters from a golf course in Rancho Palos Verdes, emphasizing his determination to ensure more water is sent from Northern California to the drought-ridden southern region.

Trump referred to a 2020 federal decision to increase water deliveries by loosening endangered species regulations, a move that Newsom had previously filed a lawsuit against. The former president asserted that if Newsom refused to sign the necessary documents, California would not receive the funds required to manage its ongoing wildfires, a threat that Newsom swiftly condemned.

Just minutes after Trump's remarks, Newsom took to social media to accuse the former president of blocking emergency disaster funds for personal and political reasons. Highlighting the potential consequences of such actions, Newsom warned that withholding funds from California today could set a dangerous precedent for other states in the future, such as North Carolina and Pennsylvania, which may find themselves facing similar funding challenges.

Currently, California is grappling with multiple large-scale wildfires, including the Airport, Line, and Bridge fires, which have collectively scorched over 100,000 acres. At Newsom's request, the state has received federal aid to combat these fires. The most recent assistance was provided on Wednesday for the Airport and Bridge fires, which continue to pose significant threats.

Trump's threat to cut disaster funding from California aligns with his longstanding criticism of the state's environmental policies. Additionally, he has regularly utilized the state's water disputes to appeal to agricultural interests in the Central Valley, who rely on water deliveries from both the State Water Project and the federally managed Central Valley Project.

During his presidency, Trump fulfilled a campaign promise by modifying Obama-era rules, thereby allowing the diversion of more water to farmers. On Friday, he attributed the scarcity of water to Newsom's unwillingness to act, stating that he had resolved the issue during his tenure.

Newsom filed a lawsuit in February 2020 against the Trump administration's water regulation changes, promptly following the president's announcement of the new rules at a rally-style speech in Bakersfield. These regulations aimed to increase water availability for Central Valley farmers by implementing more flexible pumping guidelines from the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta.

Trump criticized California's efforts to protect vulnerable fish species, referencing the state's practice of diverting millions of gallons of water to the Pacific Ocean for the sake of safeguarding a small fish called a "smelt." He contended that redirecting this water to the drought-stricken areas of Los Angeles would provide much-needed relief.

Currently, the Biden administration is in the process of rewriting these rules and is expected to release its revised version by the end of the year, before the possibility of a Trump presidency in 2025. Newsom's administration has expressed intentions to pursue a separate state permit, allowing them to operate the state side of the pumps under stricter endangered species regulations, regardless of the election outcome in November.

As of now, Newsom's office has not responded to requests for comment regarding Trump's threat.

In a continued saga of water disputes and environmental battles, the tension escalates between former President Donald Trump and California Governor Gavin Newsom. With federal disaster response funding hanging in the balance, the consequences of this clash extend far beyond the political realm. As California battles raging wildfires, the unresolved water wars between the state's north and south regions ignite fresh concerns over resource allocation and environmental preservation.