Former President Donald Trump has reignited his ongoing feud with California Governor Gavin Newsom by posting a provocative video on his Truth Social platform. The 48-second clip, shared on Easter Sunday, depicts a chaotic scene in downtown Los Angeles where a woman is seen using a wrench to force open a fire hydrant to wash a bucket of blankets.
Chaotic Scene in Downtown Los Angeles
The video shows the woman dumping a large plastic container of dirty water into the street as a car passes by. She then places a blanket into the container and uses a wrench to turn the fire hydrant, filling the receptacle with water. Later, she sprinkles an unknown material, possibly detergent, into the container. A narrator in the video states, "This is downtown Los Angeles, California, where Hollywood is at. This is not a movie, though. It's not a joke, and it's not a publicity stunt. This is the reality that people are living in."
Trump's Caption and Previous Criticisms
Trump posted the video a second time with a caption from an X account that read, "Los Angeles fire hydrants seem to be working just fine now." This jab references previous criticisms Trump has leveled at Newsom regarding fire hydrant functionality. In January 2025, during the devastating Palisades Fire that tore through large parts of the Los Angeles area, firefighters struggled to contain the blaze as pumps could not replenish water fast enough, leaving about 20 percent of the city's fire hydrants dry.
At that time, Trump posted on Truth Social, "Governor Gavin Newscum 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. He is the blame for this."
Newsom's Response and Political Context
Newsom, a Democrat seen as a potential contender for the 2028 presidential nomination, responded sharply to Trump's earlier claims. His communications director told Cal Matters, "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."
The governor has frequently exchanged barbs with Trump, turning the former president's rapid-fire social media insult style against him. Last month, Trump accused Newsom of having "a mental disability," calling him a "very stupid person," and boasted about taking cognitive tests. Newsom responded by posting an image on X of a fake cognitive exam with the caption, "FALSE. Gavin Newsom is highly intelligent."
Ongoing Political Rivalry
This latest incident highlights the ongoing political rivalry between Trump and Newsom, with both figures using social media to attack each other's policies and leadership. The video of the woman using the fire hydrant as a makeshift laundromat serves as a symbolic critique of conditions in Los Angeles under Newsom's governance, according to Trump's narrative.
The narrator in Trump's video concludes, "Fire hydrants have now been converted into laundromats," emphasizing the perceived deterioration of public infrastructure in the city. This exchange continues a pattern of confrontational politics that has characterized the relationship between the former president and the California governor, with both men positioning themselves for potential future political contests.
