President Donald Trump is slated to visit California on Saturday to assess the damage of the deadly wildfires that have ravaged the state, the White House announced Thursday.
The president's visit comes after he was excoriated for publicly scolding state officials on Twitter last Saturday and then blamed and threatened Californians, tweeting in part, "so many lives lost, all because of gross mismanagement of the forests."
He added: "Billions of dollars are given each year, with so many lives lost, all because of gross mismanagement of the forests. Remedy now, or no more Fed payments!"
That prompted an onslaught of criticism from celebrities and firefighters in the state. Brian Rice, the leader of the union that represents most of California's firefighters, blasted the president and demanded an apology.
There are several wildfires ravaging different parts of the state. However, Camp Fire in northern California has been the deadliest in the state's history, leaving 56 people dead with nearly 300 still people missing.
Trump reversed course on Wednesday and offered his full support to the state and Gov. Jerry Brown, a Democrat with whom he has often clashed.
"Just spoke to Governor Jerry Brown to let him know that we are with him, and the people of California, all the way!" Trump wrote Wednesday on Twitter.
This will be Trump's second visit to the state during his presidency. Earlier this year he viewed prototypes of his controversial border wall.
