TRUMP WARNS NEWSOM: IF CALIFORNIA HOMELESS CRISIS PERSISTS, FEDS 'WILL GET INVOLED'
President Trump issued a warning to California Gov. Gavin Newsom on Wednesday, threatening federal intervention if Newsom is unable to solve his state's homeless crisis.
"Governor Gavin N has done a really bad job on taking care of the homeless population in California. If he can’t fix the problem, the Federal Govt. will get involved!" Trump tweeted.
The Golden State has led the nation in the number of homeless people with an estimated total of over 129,972 in January 2018, according to a Department of Housing and Urban Development [HUD] report. Just over 68 percent of the homeless population in California, the most populous U.S. state, is also categorized as unsheltered.
Earlier this month, Newsom blamed the Trump administration over rising homelessness in cities like Los Angeles and San Francisco, saying the White House was taking no action on "Housing First," the governor's approach to solving homelessness.
The proposal would involve getting people in homes first, and potentially adding job-skills training or addiction services later.
"They're not serious about this issue," Newsom said. "They're playing politics with it... expect nothing but division coming from the folks at HUD and the Trump administration."
On Christmas day, Trump retweeted Fox Nation host Tomi Lahren who responded to Newsom's earlier comment, blasting him for his lack of accountability.
"Take accountability, Gavin," Lahren wrote.
"This is your state and you and your democratic cohorts created this mess. You can’t blame @realDonaldTrump forever. Step away from the hair gel and get to work!!!"
Trump's latest criticism of the governor came a month after he attacked Newsom for doing a "terrible job of forest management" as wildfires raged across California.
He also put pressure on Newsom by suggesting there won't be any more federal funding to battle the wildfires unless the state improved its forest management system.
Earlier this week, Newsomreleased a video supporting Trump's impeachment.
"Trump has spent 2019 attacking our institutions and fellow Americans.
Locking kids in cages. Sucking up to the NRA. Trying to take your healthcare away. Giving tax cuts to the wealthy. And denying climate change," he wrote. "So we're leaving him in the dust."