Politics

Trump says he will ‘probably’ travel to California next week after LA fires

Published

2 years ago

January 18, 2025

President-elect Donald Trump will “probably” travel to Southern California next week, he told NBC News, making the likely first trip of his second term to the liberal stronghold still reeling from some of the worst wildfires in its history.

In a wide-ranging phone interview on Saturday with “Meet the Press” moderator Kristen Welker, Trump said he “was going to go, actually yesterday,” to the Golden State, but decided “it would be better if I went as president.”

The wildfires have been raging in and around Los Angeles since Jan. 7, killing dozens and forcing tens of thousands to evacuate, according to the Associated Press, as they ravaged the country’s second-largest city.

California’s Democratic Gov. Gavin Newsom — who has been criticized by Trump and Republicans for his handling of the fires — invited Trump to visit California last week. President Joe Biden was in Los Angeles when the fires started earlier this month, and Vice President Kamala Harris, whose primary residence is in Los Angeles, canceled her final foreign trip as vice president due to the fires.

Tensions have flared in recent weeks between Trump and Newsom, and in the interview, Trump said he had not yet spoken to the governor about the fires. Trump also discussed a number of other issues, including his plans to ramp up mass deportations “very early, very quickly,” but said he didn’t want to reveal which cities the operation would begin in because “you’ll see it firsthand.”

Trump said he believes he and his team “made the right decision” to move Monday’s inauguration ceremony into the Capitol due to freezing temperatures, and added that he aims to sign “a record-setting number of documents … right after this [inauguration] speech.”

When discussing TikTok — which said it would “go dark” on Sunday after the Supreme Court ruled the app must be sold to a non-Chinese buyer — the president-elect said a “90-day extension is something that will be most likely done.”

“If I decide to do that, I’ll probably announce it on Monday,” he added.

And on the cease-fire deal between Israel and Hamas that Israel agreed to earlier Saturday, Trump pledged to ensure the deal would hold via “good government.” He said he would meet with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, an ally, “fairly soon.”

Politics

FCC chair Brendan Carr on Trump, free speech and his threats against broadcasters

Published

21 hours ago

July 31, 2026

Blue Light Newsroom

FCC chair Brendan Carr on Trump, free speech and his threats against broadcasters

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Politics

Mandela Barnes considering dropping out of Wisconsin governor race

Published

1 day ago

July 30, 2026

Blue Light Newsroom

Former Lt. Gov. Mandela Barnes and his team are discussing dropping out of the crowded Democratic primary for Wisconsin governor, according to two people with direct knowledge of the matter.

The conversations come as Democratic officials in the state brace for damaging media reports about Barnes expected to hit in the coming hours. Barnes and his team have been on calls Thursday to discuss how to proceed, according to the people, granted anonymity to share private details.

The primary had become increasingly messy as more moderate leaning Democrats like Barnes have tried to stave off Democratic socialist Francesca Hong’s rise, worried her victory could boost presumed Republican nominee Tom Tiffany. Wisconsin Gov. Tony Evers’ endorsement of David Crowley — who reentered the race in the final stretch — further complicated the moderate coalition.

A spokesperson for Barnes’ campaign did not immediately respond to a request for comment.