California water officials acknowledged this week that President Donald Trump’s claim that the US military entered California and “turned on the water” was false.
Trump’s remarks, published Monday on his social media platform Truth Social, are the most recent in a string of words and actions he’s taken regarding the state’s water policy after the disastrous wildfires that swept through the Los Angeles area earlier this month. He frequently provides an insufficient or erroneous assessment of the state’s water policies or ties together unrelated topics.
“The United States Military just entered the Great State of California and, under Emergency Powers, TURNED ON THE WATER flowing abundantly from the Pacific Northwest, and beyond,” the Republican president wrote. “The days of putting a Fake Environmental argument, over the PEOPLE, are OVER. Enjoy the water, California!!!”
The California Department of Water Resources posted on X that the “military did not enter California.”
“The federal government restarted federal water pumps after they were offline for maintenance for three days,” the agency posted. “State water supplies in Southern California remain plentiful.”
The majority of California’s water originates from the north, where it melts from mountain snow and flows into rivers that connect to the Sacramento-San Joaquin River Delta. Much of it is then transported south to farmers and cities like as Los Angeles via two huge pumping and canal systems. One is run by the federal government, and the other by the state. No water supply from the Pacific Northwest connects with California’s system.
There has been a long-running argument in California about how to distribute water among farms, cities, and environmental purposes, such as keeping a certain quantity of water flowing down rivers and out to sea to protect fish populations. Trump has sided with farmers who want more water.
He mistakenly stated that California’s water conveyance policies were to blame for hydrants running dry when flames raged in the Los Angeles area. He vowed to withhold federal funds from the region unless the state adjusted its approach to water management. On Sunday, his administration issued an executive order aimed at sending more federally regulated water south.
The United States Bureau of Reclamation, which oversees the federal pumping system, declined to comment on why the pumps were shut down for repair or on Trump’s claims that the military was engaged. The California Department of Water Resources directed queries about pump maintenance to the federal authorities.
One US official, who spoke on the condition of anonymity to discuss military activities, stated that no active duty personnel were engaged in reactivating the water pumps.
The White House suggested Tuesday that Trump was referring to the United States Army Corps of Engineers, but did not specify how much water was involved, where it came from, or how the alterations were accomplished. Karoline Leavitt, White House press secretary, was asked at a briefing about the role of troops in California water policy. She claimed that California had “turned on the water,” referring to the authorities’ decision to allow water to flow from northern to southern California.
“The Army Corps of Engineers has been on the ground to respond to the devastation from these wildfires,” Leavitt added.
Leavitt said the adjustments came after Trump “applied tremendous pressure on state and local officials” during a visit to Los Angeles on Friday to tour the destruction caused by recent wildfires.
Before his arrival, Trump had often criticized Democratic Governor Gavin Newsom and the state’s water policies. When Newsom met him on the tarmac, he struck a more sympathetic tone and made no mention of federal aid limitations during a meeting with local and state leaders.
His office later released the executive order calling for “overriding disastrous California policies.” It gives various federal agencies 15 days to come up with a plan to “ensure adequate water resources in Southern California.”
Trump made similar moves in his first term. Environmental groups were quick to condemn the executive order.