President Donald Trump falsely claimed to have sent water to fire-plagued Los Angeles that California’s leaders refused to provide. In reality, the water released from dams in California’s Central Valley did not reach Los Angeles but was directed elsewhere in the Central Valley. Water experts confirmed that none of it made it to Southern California. Trump’s order to release the water was criticized as wasteful, harmful to farmers, and poorly planned, with potential catastrophic consequences if more water had been released as initially intended.

Despite factual evidence contradicting his claims, Trump persisted in spreading the false narrative, even suggesting an invasion of Los Angeles to deliver the water. The Army Corps of Engineers was surprised by the release order, knowing the water couldn’t reach Southern California without special coordination, which was not possible on short notice. Trump’s baseless accusations about water allocation for wildfires and an obscure fish species were debunked, as the Los Angeles wildfires were already contained when the water releases began.

Overall, Trump’s repeated assertions of sending water to Los Angeles were unfounded, highlighting a disconnect between his narrative and geographical realities. The White House’s attempt to justify the false claims was met with criticism, emphasizing the importance of accurate information in public discourse. Despite the existence of a connection to redirect water to Southern California, it was not utilized in this instance, further discrediting Trump’s assertions about the water flow.