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By Aila Slisco
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Speaker of the House Mike Johnson is clapping back at what he calls a "clap back" video of California Governor Gavin Newsom denouncing potential "conditions" on emergency aid for devastating Los Angeles area fires.
Why It Matters
Newsom, a Democrat, has faced heavy criticism over the Southern California fires from Republicans including President-elect Donald Trump, who has directly blamed the governor. The fires have killed dozens of people, while tens of thousands of homes and other structures have burned to the ground.
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While Congress typically grants aid for major natural disasters without debate, Johnson suggested earlier this week that "there should probably be conditions" on aid for California's emergency, while hinting that funds might be tied to Trump's demand for an increase to the federal debt limit.
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What To Know
Newsom shared a video captioned as a "message" to Johnson on Thursday to X, formerly Twitter. Taken from an interview with progressive influencer Brian Tyler Cohen, the governor says in the video that California would "never" place conditions on supporting Johnson's home state of Louisiana during a disaster.
"We'd never condition it," Newsom says. "With the debt ceiling bill, [to] see if we can get tax cuts for billionaires and corporation that don't need it, and then put at risk the lives of hundreds of thousands of Americans that happen to live in California—Speaker Johnson and Mr. president-elect, millions of your supporters are out here."
"They need your help, they need your empathy, they need your care," he continues. "Whatever compassion you can express, as opposed to condemnation and divisive language that has aided and abetted nothing but mis and disinformation that's flamed fear and flamed a lot of anxiety for folks that are just simply trying to recover."
Johnson responded to the video one hour later by posting the following on X:
"Instead of making highly produced clap back videos with social media influencers, you should get to work helping Californians. You're the leader of a state in crisis, and you should finally start acting like it."
In response to Newsweek's request for comment on Johnson's post, Newsom's Director of Communications Izzy Gardon said in a statement that "the Governor is focused on protecting people, not playing politics, and making sure firefighters have all the resources they need."
What People Are Saying
Trump, speaking about using the California emergency to pass his agenda in a single bill during an interview on Thursday with conservative pundit Dan Bongino: "I'd like to see one bill... If you add Los Angeles into it, then you can really do one, big, beautiful bill. Because, frankly, they want that so badly. They want the money to go out there so badly. And I don't think we should do a bill until Los Angeles is included. And when Los Angeles is included, we get everything we want."
Newsom, commenting on Republican demands to put conditions on aid during an interview with MSNBC host and former White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki earlier this week: "If that's leadership, I have a different definition... That's the face of leadership in the United States of America? Conditioning aid to the American people in need? Politicizing this tragic moment? I'll spare any more commentary on it, I just have to say I would encourage these people—they're human beings, they're parents, I respect that—come out here, visit with these folks and let's have a conversation after that."
What Happens Next
Firefighters are continuing to battle multiple major fires in Southern California and recovery efforts are ongoing. Trump will be sworn into office for his second term on Monday, at which point both houses of Congress and the White House will be controlled by Republicans. The future of any federal emergency aid for California is unclear.
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