Banner Day For Trump: Disses WWI Memorial Service Due To Light Rain, Threatens To Withhold Funds From California As The State Burns

A new forest fire raged on in California today, destroying more than 150 homes in Malibu, Calabasas, Hidden Hills, and Westlake Village areas.

#WoolseyFire:
- 70,000 acres, 0% contained
- At least two dead
- 250,000 People evacuated
- At least 150 homes destroyed
- Multiple people arrested for looting
- Evacuation orders in place for Westlake Village, Hidden Hills, Calabasas, Agoura, and Malibupic.twitter.com/bl7MBYoXRu

— PM Breaking News (@PMBreakingNews) November 10, 2018

"My whole neighborhood is gone..."
Thousands of California residents won't be able to sleep in their own beds tonight. Many not knowing if they even have a home to go back to. We take a look at how the #HillFire, #WoolseyFire, and #CampFire quickly changed, and even ended lives. pic.twitter.com/JCgvVKjLjt

— WeatherNation (@WeatherNation) November 10, 2018

Donald Trump took to Twitter to address the issue, but it wasn't quite the 'presidential' tone California might have hoped for.

Trump's take was to blame "gross mismanagement of the forests." The Donald's answer was to threaten "no more Fed payments" unless things were brought more inline with his thinking.

There is no reason for these massive, deadly and costly forest fires in California except that forest management is so poor. Billions of dollars are given each year, with so many lives lost, all because of gross mismanagement of the forests. Remedy now, or no more Fed payments!

— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) November 10, 2018

The head of the California Professional Firefighters was not amused.

"The president’s message attacking California and threatening to withhold aid to the victims of the cataclysmic fires is Ill-informed, ill-timed and demeaning to those who are suffering as well as the men and women on the front lines," stated California Professional Firefighters President Brian K. Rice.

"At a time when our every effort should be focused on vanquishing the destructive fires and helping the victims, the president has chosen instead to issue an uninformed political threat aimed squarely at the innocent victims of these cataclysmic fires," Rice added. "At this moment, thousands of our brother and sister firefighters are putting their lives on the line to protect the lives and property of thousands. Some of them are doing so even as their own homes lay in ruins. In my view, this shameful attack on California is an attack on all our courageous men and women on the front lines."

It goes without saying that California sends FAR more money to the federal government than it ever gets back in support given that the Golden State is the 5th largest economy in the world.

For the President of the United States' first reaction to be condemnation of the state rather than empathy for the Americans who are losing their homes was unsettling to say the least.

I'm of a mind to believe that Trump's lack of empathy comes in part from the fact that he will never win the Golden State when he runs for reelection in 2020. So, I doubt he cares much for California.

Just ask Puerto Rico.

I'm not the only one who thought the response was less than 'presidential.'

Mr. President, with all due respect, you are wrong. The fires in So. Cal are urban interface fires and have NOTHING to do with forest management. Come to SoCal and learn the facts & help the victims. Scott Austin, Pres IAFF 809. @IAFFNewsDesk https://t.co/d3jY0SeosF

— Pasadena Fire Assn. (@PFA809) November 10, 2018

Try instead “my deepest condolences to those Americans who lost property and my special appreciation to the firefighters and other first responders. With FEMA and HUD and USDA and all federal agencies we will do whatever we can to get this under control and assist in recovery.” https://t.co/UeZZ1g9pm3

— Brian Schatz (@brianschatz) November 10, 2018

I don’t expect anything better from Trump, but this threat, issued as people are literally fleeing for their lives, cannot go unanswered.

For those of you in the path of the fires or who have lost loved ones or your homes, we will be there for you. Even if our President is not. https://t.co/hqKXIHqpNl

— Adam Schiff (@RepAdamSchiff) November 10, 2018

This is the worst fire in California’s history; so far 75,000 people evacuated, 6,500 homes & 200 businesses destroyed, 9 American lives lost.

...And this is the victim-blaming tweet Trump sends out.

Our president is a cancerous stain on the nation. https://t.co/FfNjG5eKjK

— Translate Trump (@TranslateRealDT) November 10, 2018

You. Defunded. Forest. Management.

That. Was. You. https://t.co/k2mGaYFx2x

— Jules Suzdaltsev (@jules_su) November 10, 2018

So Trump skipped the ceremony to honor the dead of World War One (37 million) because of a light rain.

He then told the 150,000 Californians who had to flee their homes due to fire that he might cut off federal aid.

He did this while sitting in a hotel room watching Fox News.

— Mikel Jollett (@Mikel_Jollett) November 10, 2018

Honestly thought this one was from a parody account. The city is on fire and people and animals are dying. https://t.co/qjuaSheDJe

— Zach Braff (@zachbraff) November 10, 2018