Will Schiff accept?
In an unexpected turn of events, President Donald Trump invited California Senators Adam Schiff and Alex Padilla to visit Los Angeles and witness the destruction caused by the wildfires currently sweeping through the area. However, both senators declined the invitation, citing their duties in the Senate, where they were scheduled to vote on important nominations.
Senator Schiff, in an interview on MSNBC, expressed gratitude for the president’s gesture, explaining that he was glad Trump would witness the devastation in person. Schiff described the wildfire damage as unimaginable until seen firsthand, emphasizing how entire neighborhoods were destroyed. Although he and Senator Padilla could not attend, Schiff voiced support for the president’s visit, recognizing its significance for the state.
Trump, for his part, appeared somewhat confused about the details of the invitation. He suggested that someone else had extended the invitation to the senators, not directly him, and expressed uncertainty about their plans to visit the fire-ravaged areas. The White House later confirmed that both senators had indeed been invited to join the president.
Despite the long-standing political animosity between Trump and Schiff, stemming from Schiff’s role in leading the impeachment of Trump in 2019 and his involvement in the January 6 investigation, both leaders appeared to set aside their differences in the face of the wildfire crisis. Schiff and other California Democrats had previously written a letter to Trump, urging him to visit the affected areas and witness the scale of the damage. Schiff acknowledged that the fire’s impact transcended party lines, affecting both Democrats and Republicans in California.
While the cooperation was a sign of bipartisanship, the relief effort for the fire victims is expected to become a point of contention. Democrats are advocating for a “clean” bill to provide emergency funding, while Republicans are pushing for conditions to be attached to the aid, particularly concerning water policies. Trump has expressed frustration with California’s environmental regulations, accusing the state of prioritizing certain issues over addressing wildfire prevention, and suggesting that federal aid should be withheld until changes are made.
Though the wildfire crisis has briefly united political adversaries, it remains to be seen how the debate over federal assistance will unfold, especially as election-year politics intensify.