Actor Eric Braeden, a German immigrant known for his role in The Young and The Restless, has attacked President-elect Donald J. Trump for his response to the California wildfires. Braeden, who has had to evacuate his house as multiple fires burn thousands of acres and structures in the Golden State, told CNN the disaster is “the price we pay for living in this beautiful area.”
“California’s a fantastic state. It’s one of the most productive states in the nation—not according to the orange idiot who will take over on the 25th of January or whatever, but it is truly one of the most productive states ever in the United States,” said the 83-year-old, getting the date of Trump’s January 20 inauguration wrong.
“To be very frank with you, I think everyone is really trying to do their damn best, OK?” Braedan said of the management of the wildfires. “And some idiot—the orange idiot—went on television… and claimed all kinds of things about [California Governor Gavin] Newsom and California and the water distribution. All nonsense,” he added.
Trump has long argued that massive quantities of water could be diverted to areas of California prone to wildfires, but he says Newsom has blocked the proposed infrastructure changes to protect fish living in the Sacramento–San Joaquin River Delta.
State and local officials are also facing backlash for cutting fire budgets, reallocating fire spending to diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) hiring, and giving away fire equipment to Ukraine.
Eric Braedon: The orange idiot went on television.. and claimed all kinds of things about Newsom and California and the water distribution. All nonsense.. What some of these characters are now disseminating on one particular network and on some podcasts is outrageous and very… pic.twitter.com/wqQesL3KwV
— Acyn (@Acyn) January 10, 2025