Democratic Senator Adam Schiff has turned down Donald Trump's invitation to tour the devastation caused by the Los Angeles wildfires.
The president leaves Washington on Friday for the first trip of his second administration to tour disaster zones in North Carolina and California.
He invited Schiff, an old enemy whom he called “scum” on his first day in the White House.
But a spokesperson for the newly elected senator from Calfirornia said he was “unable” to attend due to “scheduled nominating votes.”
He will first go to Asheville, which was devastated by tornadoes in September, and where he condemned President Joe Biden's response to the disaster.
More controversy awaits when he visits areas of Los Angeles devastated by wildfires.
He has regularly blasted Gov. Gavin Newsom, nicknamed him “Newscum,” and claimed he will withhold federal aid unless the state turns on a tap that he claims would allow water to flow in from northern parts of the state.
Experts say no such valve exists and that California has spent years trying to get more water to arid parts of the state.
Democratic Senator Adam Schiff has turned down Donald Trump's invitation to tour the devastation caused by the Los Angeles wildfires
“I don't think we should give California anything until they get the water flowing,” Trump said in an interview with Fox News Channel's Sean Hannity on Wednesday.
The president also proposed shifting more responsibility for disaster management to individual states.
“I'd rather see the states solve their own problems,” he told Hannity, adding that “FEMA gets in the way of everything.”
He flies to Las Vegas in the evening to stay at one of his own hotels before heading to Miami for the rest of the weekend.
In Nevada, advisers said he will outline how he will keep a campaign promise to eliminate the tip tax as he celebrates his victory in the state on Election Day.
The president is traveling outside Washington for the first time since returning to power on Friday and Los Angeles is on the agenda to survey the damage
Pictured: a Malibu neighborhood completely destroyed by the Palisades Fire
Trump has long been an enemy whom he called “scum” on his first day in the White House
During their 2018 visit to Skyway Villa Mobile Home and RV Park in Paradise, California, seen here, Trump and Newsom have not spoken since Trump left office in 2020
“I'm going to Nevada to thank them,” Trump said. He was the first Republican candidate to win the state since 2004, when George W. Bush defeated John Kerry
It caps a busy week marked by dozens of executive orders and several impromptu press conferences.
Advisers said he will provide details on fulfilling a campaign promise to exclude tips from federal taxes, while basking in the fact that he won Nevada on an Election Day election.
“I'm going to Nevada to thank them,” Trump said. He was the first Republican candidate to win the state since 2004, when George W. Bush defeated John Kerry
