Celebrities Condemn Gavin Newsom as Fires Level Los Angeles

A host of celebrities have lashed out at California Governor Gavin Newsom, blaming him for the wildfires that have leveled huge areas of Los Angeles County.

Fueled by dry conditions and strong winds, the ongoing Palisades, Eaton, Hurst, Lidia and Kenneth fires have caused unprecedented devastation across Southern California this week, leaving a death toll of at least 10 with nearly 180,000 people evacuated. Thousands of properties have been destroyed, with estimated damages at $150 billion. Among those are the homes of several celebrities.

President-elect Donald Trump led the way in casting blame on Newsom when he wrote on his Truth Social platform late Wednesday: "One of the best and most beautiful parts of the United States of America is burning down to the ground. It's ashes, and Gavin Newscum should resign. This is all his fault!!!"

Trump, a Republican, also alleged that Democrat Newsom "refused to sign the water restoration declaration put before him that would have allowed millions of gallons of water, from excess rain and snow melt from the North, to flow daily into many parts of California, including the areas that are currently burning in a virtually apocalyptic way."

Gavin Newsom on September 18, 2023, in New York City, and a home burning in Pacific Palisades, California, on January 8, 2025 (inset). A host of celebrities have criticized Newsom amid the ongoing wildfires. Noam Galai/Getty Images for Clinton Global Initiative;/AGUSTIN PAULLIER/AFP via Getty Images

Izzy Gardon, Newsom's director of communications, told Newsweek in response: "There is no such document as the water restoration declaration, that is pure fiction. The governor is focused on protecting people, not playing politics, and making sure firefighters have all the resources they need."

As many Southern Californians face continued fires and the loss of their homes, a host of celebrities have joined in blaming Newsom for the widespread devastation.

Mel Gibson, Joe Rogan

During an appearance on Thursday's installment of The Joe Rogan Experience, actor Mel Gibson, who lives in Malibu, discussed the "inferno" engulfing his neighborhood and other areas in and around Los Angeles before the discussion quickly turned to politics.

"The wildfire situation ... How crazy it is that they spent $24 billion last year on the homeless, and what did they spend on preventing these wildfires? Zip," podcast host Joe Rogan said.

Gibson then interjected by directly accusing Newsom of failing to "take care of the forest," while jokingly suggesting that the governor was spending all of California's "tax dollars" on his "hair gel."

"In 2019, I think Newsom said, 'You know, I'm going to take care of the forest and maintain the forest, all of that kind of stuff,'" said Gibson. "He didn't do anything ... And then I think all our tax dollars probably went for Gavin's hair gel ... It's sad. It's like, the place is just on fire."

Rogan, who along with Gibson supported Trump in this past election cycle, went on to say that Newsom had "ruined the state personally" and that it was "just insane" for the governor to frequently call California "the best state."

Gibson agreed, arguing that Newsom was responsible for San Francisco supposedly becoming "apocalyptic" and "a mess" because homeless people live there before suggesting that civilization itself might soon "cave in and collapse."

James Woods

Actor James Woods, who this week lost his home in the fires, also pinned the blame on Newsom, as well as Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass.

After Woods shared news of how the blaze had engulfed his home, a social media user wrote on X: "The irony of James Woods, known for his skepticism about climate change, losing his home to the very wildfires linked to climate change impacts in California, is striking."

"This fire is not from 'climate change,' you ignorant a******," Woods hit back. "It's because liberal idiots like you elect liberal idiots like Gavin Newsom and Karen Bass. One doesn't understand the first thing about fire management and the other can't fill the water reservoirs."

In another post on the platform, Woods shared a photo of the a leveled Pacific Palisades community, as he called for Newsom and Bass to be recalled.

"It took mere hours for the ineptitude of Gavin Newsom and Karen Bass to render the Pacific Palisades a scorched wasteland," he stated. "To rebuild will be a gargantuan task. The first necessary step must be to recall these two worthless political hacks."

During an interview with Fox News host Laura Ingraham, Woods further took aim at Newsom, saying he believes the politician to be an "absolute blithering idiot" due to "the way he has handled fire management in this state."

"This isn't a wake-up call," Woods said. "This is the kind of thing they have tribunals for, where they try people and say, 'You had an oath of office to perform certain duties.'

"When you're the fire chief, this isn't a social justice exercise that you're in charge of. This is you getting water to areas that need water because there are fires and hundred-mile-an-hour winds burning houses to the ground."

Jillian Michaels

Fitness expert Jillian Michaels, who lost her home to a wildfire in 2018 and said she helped to evacuate her mother on Wednesday, has also been critical of Newsom.

Taking to X, she wrote: "California governor @GavinNewsom issues a press release admitting they knew about the insane fire risk this past Sunday because he was propositioning fire engines. And yet, he just called in the national guard a few hours ago."

"Pacific Palisades ran out of water at 3am," she went on. "I'm so so upset for the people of California. My family who stayed. My lifelong friends who live there. Our brave firefighters. This is not a partisan issue it's pure incompetence and misprioritization."

When another X user countered that it was a partisan issue and asserted that the "Democrats are to blame," Michaels responded: "I'm saying that regardless of one's political affiliations protecting people from natural disasters is paramount. And whether you are red or blue you should demand change in California."

Patricia Heaton

Everybody Loves Raymond star Patricia Heaton took aim at California's leadership in a video posted to X on Wednesday.

Starting by stating that it was "so heartbreaking to see what's happening" in the Los Angeles area, Heaton said that the devastation was "preventable."

After criticizing Bass, Heaton said: "The people running the show" in California "just decimated the place. Drugs, homelessness, with mentally ill people on the streets. Crime—our next door neighbors were burglarized there."

"What are you paying all these taxes for to see your neighborhood go up in smoke?" Heaton went on. "It's so enraging that they took one of the most beautiful states—maybe the most beautiful state in the union—and just continue to destroy it. Gavin Newsom standing there with his hands in his pockets... I just really feel for everybody there. I really do."

Danica Patrick

Former NASCAR and IndyCar driver Danica Patrick also joined the celebrity detractors on social media.

Her frustration, shared initially on her Instagram Story, showed her questioning the state's preparedness for such disasters. She wrote: "So sad. Shouldn't California be more prepared for this situation? Wtf."

Taking to X on Wednesday, she was more pointed in her criticism when she commented: "Time for Newscum to be the next to announce his resignation."

Reiterating her questioning of California's preparedness, Patrick said in another post: "California has 840 miles of coast line and 3,000 lakes and reservoirs. Why don't they have enough water to fix any and all fires?

"At some point I have to imagine it's getting difficult for hardcore [Cali] lovers to accept the state of their state and how it's managed."

Sara Foster

Actor and producer Sara Foster criticized Newsom and Bass in an X post, as she called on both of them to step down.

"We pay the highest taxes in California. Our fire hydrants were empty. Our vegetation was overgrown, brush not cleared," she wrote. "Our reservoirs were emptied by our governor because tribal leaders wanted to save fish.

"Our fire department budget was cut by our mayor. But thank god drug addicts are getting their drug kits."

Tagging Bass and Newsom, she concluded: "@MayorOfLA @GavinNewsom RESIGN. Your far left policies have ruined our state. And also our party."