President Donald Trump is asserting more federal government control over water management decisions in California and ordering US officials to override local authorities, casting the steps as necessary to boost the state’s firefighting capabilities.

President Trump directed U.S. government agencies to override California’s water policies as needed — slamming the state’s handling of the Los Angeles region’s wildfires in an

The president, who has assailed California’s leaders over wildfires, issued the directive in an executive order that was dated Friday but released on Sunday.