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Trump Backs Off Denying Disaster Aid To Fire-Scorched California

President Donald Trump, who has repeatedly threatened to cut off wildfire relief aid for fire-scorched California, has reversed his own administration’s decision this week to reject the state’s request for federal disaster funds to help communities recover from a string of devastating infernos this year.

Less than 24 hours after news broke that the Trump administration had turned down California’s request without any explanation, Rep. Tom McClintock (R-Calif.), a Trump ally, took to Twitter to announce Trump’s commitment to reverse course.

“The Presidential Disaster Declaration is imminent and help is on the way,” McClintock wrote, adding “THANK YOU, Mr. President.”

California Gov. Gavin Newsom (D) later confirmed Trump’s approval of the disaster declaration in a news release.

“Just got off the phone with President Trump who has approved our Major Disaster Declaration request,” Newsom said in a statement. “Grateful for his quick response.”

White House spokesman Judd Deere said in an email that Newsom and House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.) “spoke and presented a convincing case and additional on-the-ground perspective for reconsideration leading the President to approve the declaration.” He said an official announcement was expected Friday evening.

Again, Trump has threatened to do exactly what the Federal Emergency Management Agency temporarily did this week. He has on numerous occasions blamed California’s wildfire problem on the state, claiming that it has failed to properly manage ― more specifically, “rake” and “sweep” ― its forests, despite that fact that the federal...

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