PACIFIC PALISADES, Calif. (NewsNation) — President Donald Trump toured the damage caused by wildfires in Southern California on Friday, later expressing that the devastation is beyond what can be captured in images.
Arriving in Los Angeles, he was greeted by California Gov. Gavin Newsom on the tarmac, where the pair appeared to warmly greet one another.
The president took an aerial and walking tour of Pacific Palisades, a neighborhood destroyed by one of the recent fires. He then met with wildfire victims and city officials.
“I don’t think you can realize how rough it is, how devastating it is, until you see it,” Trump said.
Newsom says California will need the federal government’s help
US President Donald Trump and California Governor Gavin Newsom speak to the press upon arrival at Los Angeles International Airport in Los Angeles, California, on January 24, 2025, to visit the region devastated by the Palisades and Eaton fires. (Photo by Mandel NGAN / AFP) (Photo by MANDEL NGAN/AFP via Getty Images) 
US President Donald Trump and First Lady Melania Trump are greeted by California Governor Gavin Newsom upon arrival at Los Angeles International Airport in Los Angeles, California, on January 24, 2025, to visit the region devastated by the Palisades and Eaton fires. (Photo by Mandel NGAN / AFP) (Photo by MANDEL NGAN/AFP via Getty Images) 
US President Donald Trump shakes hands with California Governor Gavin Newsom as he speaks to the press upon arrival at Los Angeles International Airport in Los Angeles, California, on January 24, 2025, to visit the region devastated by the Palisades and Eaton fires. (Photo by Mandel NGAN / AFP) (Photo by MANDEL NGAN/AFP via Getty Images)
“I have all the expectations we’re going to be able to work together,” Newsom said. Trump responded, “We’re going to get it fixed.”
It might seem like odd messaging for the two rivals, but it’s similar to the approach Newsom took toward Trump during the early days of the coronavirus pandemic
Tension has escalated between Newsom and Trump over how the wildfires have been managed.
Since the fires broke out on Jan. 7, Trump has used social media and interviews to accuse the state of sending too much water to the Pacific Ocean instead of south toward Los Angeles and to highlight how some hydrants ran dry in the early hours of the firefight in the Pacific Palisades neighborhood.
In the first hours of his second term, Trump called on federal officials to draft plans to route more water to the crop-rich Central Valley and densely populated cities in the southern part of the state.
Two days later, he threatened to withhold federal disaster aid unless California leaders changed the state’s approach to its management of water. Trump blames Newsom for what he calls the city’s inability to tame some of the deadly fires, while Newsom denies this claim.
On Thursday, Newsom signed legislation directing $2.5 billion in relief to support response and recovery efforts for Los Angeles.
Trump says the federal government is behind California ‘100%’
Trump acknowledged he had a “very positive talk” with California Gov. Gavin Newsom.
Trump’s comments came after he took an aerial and walking tour of Pacific Palisades, a neighborhood destroyed by one of the recent fires.
Trump didn’t mention putting conditions on federal aid, as he’s previously indicated he would do.
Wildifre damage in Southern California
Nearly 50,000 acres have burned from Los Angeles to San Diego. Eight active wildfires are burning in the region, and a red flag warning remains in effect. Residents are also reeling from the deadly and destructive Palisades and Eaton fires.
Trump has criticized the state for allegedly not sending enough water into the cities, while Newsom accuses the president of spreading misinformation.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.