During the heat of the presidential campaign in September, then-candidate Donald Trump made an extraordinary threat. He vowed that if California suffered a wildfire during his presidency, he’d withhold disaster aid from the state unless Gov.

In an interview aired Wednesday night, Trump said he may withhold aid to California until the state adjusts how it manages its scarce water resources. He falsely claimed that California’s fish conservation efforts in the northern part of the state are responsible for fire hydrants running dry in urban areas.

President Donald Trump is criticizing California water policy as he prepares to tour wildfire damage in Los Angeles

It’s one of California’s thorniest problems. The nation’s most populous state is full of sprawling cities, vast farmland, rich ecosystems — and it must decide how to divide scarce water resources among them.

The U.S. president has accused the state of sending too much water to the Pacific Ocean instead of south toward Los Angeles.

President Trump has blamed a lack of water during the Los Angeles fires on California decisions that benefit a small fish. Yet experts say he’s confusing different issues.