It wasn't too terribly long ago that California Governor Gavin Newsom said we all hated politicians who lie. This made everyone wonder if Gavin Newsom has met Gavin Newsom, because the man lies. Constantly.
He's lied about homelessness in his state. He lies about President Trump and Vice President Vance. He lied about his redistricting scheme. He even lied to the face of a woman who lost everything in the Palisades fire earlier this year.
And now he's lying about the fires again. Instead of taking responsibility for the ineptitude of California's government or blaming Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass for her failed leadership, he says the reason the Pacific Palisades hasn't been rebuilt nearly a year after the inferno is because of climate change.
Gavin Newsom blames the Pacific Palisades not being rebuilt yet after the devastating fires, on climate change pic.twitter.com/8ovE8NdM2J
— Libs of TikTok (@libsoftiktok) November 13, 2025
"In my state, which is one of the most blessed and cursed states as it relates to climate," Newsom said, complete with his weird hand gestures, "We're on the tip of the spear of climate change."
"Simultaneous droughts and simultaneous floods. The hots are getting hotter. The dry's drier," Newsom said. "You saw one of the most devastating wildfires in American history. In the middle of winter, in Los Angeles, in January. 100 mile per hour winds attached to fire."
"And as we rebuild, the number one concern people have is how do I get my home insured," Newsom continued. "And how can a developer develop a home that has a mortgage which requires home insurance. So from across this spectrum, from financial risk to the issue of cost of living...this is a no brainer."
He has a way of saying a lot without saying anything.
In January, the American Legislative Exchange Council (ALEC) cited years of intentional, politics-driven mismanagement as the reason wildfires are so extreme in the state:
California, the most-taxed state in the nation, boasts unparalleled financial resources. Yet, despite its wealth, the state continues to fail its residents by neglecting the most basic measures needed to protect them from devastating wildfires. Poor water management, bureaucratic resistance to wildfire remediation efforts, and misplaced spending priorities have left Californians vulnerable to disasters that are both predictable and preventable.
With the largest economy of any U.S. state, California has no shortage of financial resources. In 2024, Governor Gavin Newsom announced an unexpected $16.5 billion budget surplus. Yet, instead of prioritizing wildfire prevention, the administration cut the CAL FIRE resource management budget by 50%, reducing funding for critical forest and wildfire resilience programs. This shortfall forces firefighters to contend with overgrown forests and unchecked underbrush that act as kindling for the state’s now-annual infernos.
Additionally, California politicians, rather than climate change, have made it difficult for insurance companies to raise rates in response to natural disasters — the same ones that Democrats, such as Gavin Newsom, exacerbate by failing to implement basic wildfire mitigation measures. Even the state insurance plan is feeling the strain.
As of October, the city of LA had approved 782 of 1,843 rebuild permit applications, while the county had approved 568 of 2,200 in its areas. In Malibu, just 11 permits have been issued. That's a testament to the red tape and complex bureaucracy in California that make it almost impossible to rebuild.
So yes, the Pacific Palisades is not rebuilt. But it's not because of climate change. If Gavin Newsom wants to know who's to blame, he should look in the mirror.
Editor’s Note: Help us continue to report the truth about corrupt politicians like Gavin Newsom.
Join Townhall VIP and use promo code FIGHT to get 60% off your membership.
Join the conversation as a VIP Member