Why Trump Wrongly Blames A Fish For LA Wildfires

Trump Blames Delta Smelt for California Wildfires — Experts Push Back

Former U.S. President Donald Trump has sparked controversy after blaming the Delta smelt, an endangered fish species, for the devastating wildfires in Los Angeles. Trump suggested that water restrictions aimed at protecting the smelt were worsening the fires, a claim widely dismissed by scientists and environmental experts who say the fish has virtually no connection to the city’s water supply.

Trump repeated the accusation across multiple platforms — including social media, a press briefing, and even a White House order — arguing that excessive environmental protections were diverting water away from firefighting and agriculture.

Environmental groups, however, have strongly criticized the remarks. John Buse, an attorney at the Center for Biological Diversity, called Trump’s comments a “classic authoritarian tactic,” accusing him of using scapegoats to distract from policy failures.

Experts emphasize that California’s water and wildfire crises stem from climate change, drought, and land management issues, not fish protections. Peter Moyle, a renowned UC Davis ichthyologist who has studied the Delta smelt for decades, explained that the species serves as an ecological indicator of the health of California’s waterways, not a cause of the state’s disasters.

The controversy has reignited debates over the Trump administration’s environmental policies, which critics say prioritized short-term political messaging over science-based conservation and climate action.

Trump Blames California’s Forest and Water Policies for Wildfires — Experts Dispute His Claims

As wildfires scorched more than 60 square miles across Los Angeles earlier this month, former President-Elect Donald Trump pointed fingers at California’s environmental policies — and even a small fish — for the devastation. In a Truth Social post, Trump accused Governor Gavin Newsom of prioritizing protections for the Delta smelt, a tiny endangered species native to Northern California, claiming that doing so had diverted water needed to fight the flames. He dismissed the fish as “essentially worthless” and argued that the state’s mismanagement of forests and water had worsened the crisis.

Trump reiterated his criticism during his inauguration speech, alleging — incorrectly — that fires were still burning “without even a token of defense.” Soon after, he signed an executive order titled “Putting People Over Fish,” aimed at reshaping California’s water distribution system.

His remarks — part of a long-running feud with California’s leadership — have sparked fears that such rhetoric could influence federal disaster aid. Republican lawmakers, including House Speaker Mike Johnson, have even proposed linking future aid to California’s handling of “water resource mismanagement” and “forest management mistakes.”

However, wildfire experts and state officials argue that Trump’s claims misrepresent the reality. California has significantly expanded its wildfire prevention programs, with over 1,500 square miles of state and federal land treated in 2023 through forest thinning, prescribed burns, and strategic grazing to reduce flammable vegetation. In 2024, the U.S. Forest Service treated nearly 80 square miles in Southern California alone — work that proved crucial in protecting key infrastructure during the Eaton Fire. Officials also credited treatments around Mt. Wilson, near Altadena, with preventing severe damage to critical communication systems.

Experts also note that Southern California’s terrain differs from the forests of the north. The region’s chaparral scrublands respond poorly to the same forest management methods, and densely populated neighborhoods near these areas make prescribed burns more difficult and risky.

While Trump’s criticisms have drawn political attention, environmental scientists stress that reducing wildfire risks requires comprehensive management strategies, not scapegoating. As one forestry expert noted, “Wildfires are a product of climate, vegetation, and human expansion — not a fish.”

Trump Targets Delta Smelt for LA Wildfires, Experts Dismiss Claim as Baseless

Former U.S. President Donald Trump has once again sparked controversy by blaming the Delta smelt, an endangered fish species, for the Los Angeles wildfires. Calling it a “worthless fish,” Trump accused California Governor Gavin Newsom of prioritizing environmental protections over firefighting efforts by refusing to release more water to southern regions. He repeated these claims across social media posts, a press conference, and through a White House directive, alleging that conservation measures for the smelt hindered access to water needed to combat the fires.

However, environmental scientists and water management experts have dismissed Trump’s remarks as factually inaccurate. The Delta smelt, native to the Sacramento–San Joaquin Delta, has virtually no connection to Los Angeles’s water supply. Instead, it serves as a “sentinel species,” helping scientists assess the health of California’s waterways. Once abundant, the fish has suffered steep population declines due to pollution, habitat loss, and invasive species, leading to its classification as “threatened” in 1993 and “endangered” in 2009.

John Buse, General Counsel for the Center for Biological Diversity, criticized Trump’s statements as an example of political scapegoating and a short-sighted environmental stance, warning that such rhetoric reveals authoritarian tendencies in policymaking. Similarly, Peter Moyle, a prominent ichthyologist at UC Davis, noted that the species’ decline stems from decades of human impact, not conservation regulations.

Experts emphasize that California’s water management strategies aim to strike a delicate balance between ecosystem preservation, agricultural needs, and urban demand. They argue that blaming a small fish for large-scale wildfires oversimplifies the state’s complex climate and water challenges — and diverts attention from the real drivers of the crisis, including rising temperatures, drought, and urban expansion.

 

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