Trump challenged on climate denial in California

MCCLELLAN PARK, Calif. (AP)

UPDATE 9/14/2020 12:45 p.m. California Gov. Gavin Newsom says his state can do a better job of forest management, but he tells President Donald Trump that it is “self-evident that climate change is real and that is exacerbating this.”

Trump and Newsom are participating in a briefing Monday on the deadly fires that have forced thousands of residents out of their homes along the West Coast. Trump has repeatedly discounted the impact of climate change and endorsed raking forests as a means of combating wildfires.

Wade Crowfoot, secretary of the California Natural Resources Agency, told Trump that “if we ignore that science and sort of put our heads in the sand and think it’s all about vegetation management, we’re not going to succeed together in protecting California.”

Trump replied: “It’ll start getting cooler. You just watch.”

Crowfoot said, “I wish science agreed with you.”

Trump got in the last word of the exchange: “Well, I don’t think science knows actually.”

PREVIOUS STORY: President Donald Trump is visiting California Monday, and he is being briefed on the state of wildfires around the state by Gov. Gavin Newsom and other officials.

He is expected to deliver remarks after the briefing.

He is also expected to a ceremony recognizing the California National Guard.