President Donald Trump flew to North Carolina on Friday to view the extensive damage caused by Hurricane Helene, where many residents have yet to recover months later. After previously suggesting that he might withhold federal aid to Los Angeles following the massive, destructive wildfires there, a reporter asked the president what conditions the “sanctuary city” would have to meet in order to get it.
“I wanna see two things on Los Angeles – voter ID so that the people have a chance to vote – and I wanna see the water released and come down into Los Angeles and throughout the state. Those are the two things. After that, I will be the greatest president that California has ever seen.” Trump also said the water should be extended to vast swaths of farmland so that the state can become even more of an agricultural powerhouse.
? BREAKING: Trump lays out two conditions for Los Angeles and all of California to follow after being asked about potentially withholding disaster aid.
1) Voter ID
2) Let the water flow“Voter ID for the people of California, [and] the water to be released. And they’ll get a… pic.twitter.com/uO2KYdgK9C
— Eric Daugherty (@EricLDaugh) January 24, 2025
The president, alongside other U.S. officials and some local residents, has criticized the federal government’s response to the devastation caused by Hurricane Helene. The storm, which struck on September 27, left large parts of the Appalachian region in ruins and claimed more than 100 lives in North Carolina alone, Fox News reported.
“Throughout the transition, both President Trump and Vice President Vance repeatedly reached out to me to check in on how Western North Carolina was doing,” Republican North Carolina Sen. Thom Tillis told Fox News Digital in a statement ahead of the president’s visit. “That is a testament to how high of a priority the recovery and rebuilding process is for them. President Trump’s visit on Friday is welcome news for the thousands of families dealing with a state of uncertainty when it comes to securing housing.”
North Carolina Republican Sen. Ted Budd similarly told Fox News Digital that he spoke to “the president and members of his team over the weekend, and the people of Western North Carolina are among his top priorities.” He added: “They need a Rebuilder-in-Chief who can cut through the red tape and get folks what they need as quickly as possible, and President Trump will do just that. The people of Western North Carolina will not be forgotten by me or the president.”
