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The official cause of the deadly Los Angeles wildfires, fuelled by powerful winds and drought-like conditions, is yet to be determined.

But with the blazes still raging, causing devastation that has seen hundreds of homes destroyed and at least 16 people killed, who has been blamed over shortcomings in the response?

Donald Trump leads fierce criticism

President-elect Donald Trump was quick to point the finger at Joe Biden and California’s governor Gavin Newsom – a Democrat he refers to as “Gavin Newscum”.

LA fires latest: Looters dress as firefighters

He blamed water conservation priorities, including those related to the endangered Delta smelt fish, for causing hydrants to run dry in parts of Los Angeles.

“It’s a mistake of the governor, and you can say the administration,” he said.

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“They don’t have any water. They didn’t have water in the fire hydrants.

“The governor has not done a good job.”

Rachel Darvish berated the governor about the destruction of her daughter's school
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Resident berates Newsom

Without specifically naming Mr Trump, Mr Biden reacted to the claim during a briefing at the White House, passing the question to his deputy energy secretary David Turk.

He explained why power lines were shut down in the fire and how that impacted hydrants, saying it was down to a power and pressure issue.

Hydrants need power to pump water up, he said, but during times of disaster power lines are cut to curb the risk of power surges and line breakdowns.

Mr Trump went as far as to call Mr Newsom and LA mayor Karen Bass’ leadership “gross incompetence” and blamed them for “a total wipeout” in Los Angeles.

He said in a social media post: “This is one of the worst catastrophes in the history of our country. They just can’t put out the fires. What’s wrong with them?”

California governor hits back

Mr Newsom, who has also been the target of criticism from residents hit by the devastating wildfires, has invited Mr Trump to survey the area and meet those affected, but said the president-elect has not yet responded.

LA mayor Karen Bass speaks to the media
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LA mayor Karen Bass speaks to the media

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What we know about the people killed?
What caused the fires?

In an interview with Sky News’ US partner network NBC, he took aim at those “creating a crisis” by taking “cheap political shots” and criticised the spreading of “mis and disinformation”.

“Somehow connecting the Delta smelt to this fire, which is inexcusable because it’s inaccurate – also incomprehensible to anyone that understands water policy in the state,” he said.

Trump claimed policies related to the endangered Delta smelt fish affected how much water could be pumped out of its habitat.

He also criticised what he said was Mr Trump’s suggestions he would withhold aid for California wildfires, saying he was “threatening the first responders”.

Mr Newsom has called for an independent investigation into the issues of water pressure and supply but insisted it was “not about finger pointing”.

LA mayor under fire

Asked if he had faith in the LA mayor, Mr Newsom did not back her by name but said he had “absolute faith in our community, adding: “I have faith in our leaders. I have the faith of our capacity to work together.”

More than 90,000 people have signed an online petition calling on Ms Bass to resign, accusing her of a “failure” to respond to the fires gripping the city.

Los Angeles Fire Department Chief Kristin Crowley. File pic: AP
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Los Angeles Fire Department Chief Kristin Crowley. File pic: AP

The city mayor, who was on a visit to Ghana when the fires broke out, is also facing fierce criticism for $17.8m (£14.5m) in budget cuts for the Los Angeles Fire Department.

Fire chief embroiled in political row

Fire chief Kristin Crowley said they had “negatively impacted” her team’s ability to tackle the fires.

She told CNN “the fire department needs help” and there are not enough staff or fire stations, and in an interview with KTTV when asked if the city had failed the LAFD she responded, “yes”.

Ms Bass has denied that the reduction had an impact on firefighting efforts during this week’s crisis and sought to ease the tension amid rumours Ms Crowley would be sacked.

“The fire chief and I are focused on fighting these fires and saving lives, and any differences that we might have will be worked out in private,” Ms Bass said at a news conference.

Ms Crowley, who is gay and the city’s first female fire chief, had herself been swept into the national political debate with conservatives claiming diversity, equity and inclusion policies have gone too far in US institutions.

She has made diversifying the overwhelmingly male department a priority, but there’s no evidence that her efforts have hampered the fight.

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Trump says he and Starmer will meet ‘very soon’

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Trump says he and Starmer will meet 'very soon'

Donald Trump has confirmed he will meet Sir Keir Starmer “very soon” after the prime minister “asked to come” to the US.

Mr Trump discussed details of his phone call with Sir Keir while taking questions from the media in the White House’s Oval Office on Friday.

“He asked for a meeting, and I agreed to the meeting,” the US president told reporters.

“We’re going to have a friendly meeting – very good.”

Donald Trump and Keir Starmer.
Pic:Reuters
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Donald Trump and Keir Starmer will meet ‘very soon’, the president indicated. Pic: Reuters

He added: “We have a lot of good things going on. But he asked to come and see me and I just accepted his asking.”

The date for their meeting is unknown. When pressed, Mr Trump said it will happen “very soon”.

“I think he wants to come next week… or the week after,” he added.

When asked by a reporter what they will discuss, Mr Trump said: “I don’t know. It was his request, not mine.”

“I met him twice already, we get along very well, he’s a very nice guy,” the president said of Sir Keir.

Sir Keir Starmer meets with the US Special Envoy to the UK, Mark Burnett and others. Pic: Instagram/USA in UK
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Sir Keir Starmer meets with the US Special Envoy to the UK, Mark Burnett and others. Pic: Instagram/USA in UK

The call between the president and prime minister is understood to have happened on Thursday during Sir Keir’s meeting with Mark Burnett, Washington’s special envoy to the UK.

The prime minister and Mr Burnett discussed the UK-US ‘special relationship’, and potential “further collaboration” on trade, technology, and culture.

An Instagram story for the US Embassy in London said that, during the dinner, President Trump called Mr Burnett, who “passed the phone to the PM”.

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A Downing Street spokeswoman said: “The prime minister was pleased to host President Trump’s special envoy to the United Kingdom, Mark Burnett, at Downing Street last night, during which he took a call from President Trump and discussed his forthcoming visit to the US.”

She added: “Mr Burnett and the prime minister agreed on the unique and special nature of the UK-US relationship, the strength of our alliance, and the warmth of the connection between the two countries.”

Sir Keir’s upcoming trip comes as the United Kingdom faces the potential threat of trade tariffs set by the US.

Mr Trump announced plans to impose “reciprocal tariffs” on all countries that impose extra costs on goods from the US, including countries which charge VAT on goods, like the UK.

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Donald Trump triggers prospect of global trade war over ‘reciprocal’ tariff plan – increasing risk of tensions and inflation

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Donald Trump triggers prospect of global trade war over 'reciprocal' tariff plan - increasing risk of tensions and inflation

The US president has promised to target countries which charge tax on US imports by matching them with a reciprocal tariff.

Donald Trump has ordered his team to start calculating duties by early April – increasing fears of a global trade war that could also accelerate US inflation.

“On trade, I have decided for purposes of fairness, that I will charge a reciprocal tariff, meaning whatever countries charge the United States of America, we will charge them. No more, no less,” he posted on Truth Social.

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What is America’s trade position?

It is set to spark negotiations with dozens of countries aimed at lowering their tariffs and trade barriers. The US wants to shrink its goods trade deficit which topped $1.2trn (£954bn) last year.

A White House official said that countries with large US trade surpluses could be targeted first. The top five are China, Mexico, Vietnam, Ireland and Germany, according to the US Census Bureau.

Trump’s total trade war


Paul Kelso - Health correspondent

Paul Kelso

Business and economics correspondent

@pkelso

Taken at face value Donald Trump’s embrace of reciprocal tariffs is a declaration of total trade war.

It would amount to perhaps the single biggest peacetime shock to global commerce.

In promising to levy import taxes on any nation that imposes tariffs or VAT on US exports, he is following through on a campaign promise.

The aim is to address a near trillion dollar trade deficit – the difference between the value of America’s exports and its imports – that he believes amounts to a tax on American jobs.

In response, he wants to deploy tariffs to simultaneously ease the US deficit and – in theory – price out imports in favour of domestic production.

His primary targets appear to be the major trading partners with whom the trading deficit is greatest.

It is a blow to the emerging view in Whitehall that Britain might wriggle through the chaos relatively unscathed.

Read more from Paul here.

UK government minister Pat McFadden told Sky News’ Politics Hub with Sophy Ridge that Britain will take a “wait and see” approach when it comes to the tariffs. He refused to say if the government would retaliate.

Trump latest: New tariffs signal ‘total trade war’

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The UK could be hit with tariffs as high as 24% if Mr Trump follows through on his threats to treat VAT as a tariff, according to Paul Ashworth, chief North America economist at Capital Economics.

Although some estimates are lower, he thinks Britain would be the fourth hardest hit, following India (29%), Brazil (28%) and the EU (25%).

This is based on VAT rates combined with existing tariffs, but the Trump administration also intends to take into account regulations, government subsidies, digital services taxation policies and exchange rate policies.

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“Most people would consider VAT to be a non-discriminatory tax since it is also applied to domestically-produced goods making a level playing field,” said Mr Ashworth.

But the US still argues that VAT is a form of discriminatory tariff because America applies a much lower average sales tax at state level.

India's Prime Minister Narendra Modi speaks as President Donald Trump listens during a news conference in the East Room of the White House, Thursday, Feb. 13, 2025, in Washington. (AP Photo/Ben Curtis)
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Narendra Modi and Donald Trump at the White House. Pic: AP

On Thursday, Mr Trump also held a meeting with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, agreeing to join forces on artificial intelligence, semiconductors and strategic minerals.

During a news conference afterwards, Mr Trump said India has been “very strong on tariffs” and “it’s very hard to sell into India”, adding: “They’re going to be purchasing a lot of our oil and gas.”

India’s tariff rates are the highest, according to the World Trade Organisation, with a simple average 17% rate for all products compared to 3.3% for the US.

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Risk of rising US prices could be biggest brake on Donald Trump’s tariff plan

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Risk of rising US prices could be biggest brake on Donald Trump's tariff plan

Taken at face value Donald Trump’s embrace of reciprocal tariffs is a declaration of total trade war, that would amount to perhaps the single biggest peacetime shock to global commerce.

In promising to levy import taxes on any nation that imposes tariffs or VAT on US exports, he is following through on a campaign promise to address a near trillion dollar trade deficit – the difference between the value of America’s exports and its imports – that he believes amounts to a tax on American jobs.

In response, he wants to deploy tariffs as an “external revenue service”, simultaneously easing the US deficit and, so the theory goes, pricing out imports in favour of domestic production.

Follow latest: Trump’s trading tariffs

With a promise to reestablish industries, from chip production lost to Taiwan, and car and pharmaceutical manufacturing to Europe, he is promising a country-by-country tailored assault on the status quo.

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Donald Trump unveils new tariffs for trading partners

Risk to Britain remains uncertain

His primary targets appear to be the major trading partners with whom the trading deficit is greatest.

Mexico and Canada, the European Union (whose 10% tariff on US cars is a particular irritation), as well as the ‘BRICS’ nations – Brazil, Russia, India (which imposes 9% tariffs on US imports), China and South Africa.

What it means for the UK will not be certain until the details are revealed in April, but it is a blow to the emerging view in Whitehall that Britain might wriggle through the chaos relatively unscathed.

To begin with, the US runs a trade surplus with the UK – in a quirk of statistics, the UK thinks it has a surplus too – and Brexit has placed it outside the EU bloc with the ability at least in theory to be more agile.

The UK also imposes direct tariffs on very few US goods following a deal in 2021, brokered by then trade secretary Liz Truss, that removed tariffs on denim and motorcycles bound for Britain, and cashmere and Scotch whisky heading the other way.

But we do add VAT to imports, and Mr Trump’s threat to treat the sales tax as a tariff by another name will chill British exporters.

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President Donald Trump listens as he meets with India's Prime Minister Narendra Modi in the Oval Office of the White House, Thursday, Feb. 13, 2025, in Washington. (Photo/Alex Brandon)
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Donald Trump accepts his tariffs will be inflationary for the US. Pic: AP

Tariffs set to raise prices in US

Analysts have estimated tariffs could add 21% to the cost of exports, amounting to a £24bn blow to national income.

Pharmaceuticals, cars, chemicals, scientific instruments and the aerospace industry – the main components of our £182bn US export trade – will all be potentially affected.

But the pain will certainly be shared.

Tariffs are paid by the importer, not the exporter, and even Mr Trump accepts they will be inflationary.

Rising prices on Main Street could yet be the biggest brake on the president’s tariff plan.

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