Sen. Adam Schiff (D-Calif.) mentioned Friday that President Trump invited him and California’s different Democratic senator, Alex Padilla, on a go to to California amid the wildfires ravaging in Los Angeles — a proposal Schiff mentioned he turned down solely as a result of the Senate is voting on high-profile Trump nominees.
“A number of us invited him to come to the state and he reciprocated, inviting us to join him to go to these fire areas,” Schiff mentioned in an interview on MSNBC’s “Morning Joe” program.
“Regrettably, Sen. Padilla and I have votes today in the Senate, so we aren’t able to go,” he continued. “But I’m glad he’s going, and I’m glad that he’s going to see the devastation. Because I think, frankly, until you see it and the scope of it — whole neighborhoods gone block after block after block — it’s hard to wrap your head around.”
Shortly afterward, Trump acknowledged the invitation. However he additionally appeared to be confused over why it was supplied, and he emphasised that it didn’t come from him straight, as Schiff instructed.
“I don’t know, is he going?” Trump requested reporters in Washington shortly earlier than the journey. “I don’t know, I imply I actually don’t. As a result of, if he was going to be there, it could be cheaper.
“But I didn’t invite him. Somebody did.”
Padilla’s workplace confirmed the invitation was additionally prolonged to California’s senior senator. However a spokesperson didn’t say exactly who delivered it.
“Senator Padilla was invited,” spokesperson Edgar Rodríguez mentioned Friday morning. “The Senator regrets not being able to join President Trump in Los Angeles due to the Senate vote schedule. He welcomes the President’s support for federal disaster aid to assist the thousands of families and businesses impacted by these devastating fires.”
Nonetheless, the invitation — from no matter supply within the White Home — comes as one thing of a shock, particularly within the case of Schiff.
Trump and Schiff are bitter adversaries who’ve feuded sharply — and sometimes publicly — since Trump’s arrival in Washington in 2017. It was Schiff, as then-chair of the Home Intelligence Committee, who led the Democrats’ first impeachment of Trump in 2019. And the California Democrat additionally helped lead the congressional investigation into the Jan. 6, 2021, assault on the U.S. Capitol, which discovered Trump singularly culpable for inciting the violence that day.
On Monday, simply hours after he was sworn in for his second time period, Trump revealed that he hasn’t forgotten that hostile historical past, referring to Schiff as “scum.”
Schiff has returned the rhetorical fireplace, bashing Trump’s pardons of the Jan. 6 rioters — a blanket clemency he adopted Monday — as “a sick betrayal of the rule of law.”
Within the California wildfires, nevertheless, the rivals seem to have a shared adversary. Schiff and different California Democrats within the Senate and Home had despatched a Jan. 13 letter inviting Trump to gauge the devastation first-hand. And Schiff this week has cheered Trump’s determination to go to Los Angeles as one of many first journeys of his second time period.
“People that are affected by this are Democrats and Republicans — it really doesn’t matter how they vote,” Schiff advised “Morning Joe.” “And this is a great opportunity to come together in the wake of this tragedy and show that we can work together — even while we may fight over other issues.”
That combat, nevertheless, may quickly prolong to assist for the wildfires, as effectively.
Whereas Democrats are pushing for a “clean” invoice to offer emergency funding to victims of the catastrophe, Republicans are calling for “conditions” on that assist. And Trump has joined the GOP refrain, accusing California Democrats of prioritizing the safety of an obscure fish species over efforts to combat fires — a false declare that has nonetheless gained traction amongst Trump’s allies within the Capitol.
“I don’t think we should give California anything until they let the water run down,” Trump mentioned Wednesday in an interview with Fox’s Sean Hannity.
The Hill has reached out to the White Home for remark.
Alex Gangitano contributed.
