President Trump said Tuesday his executive order demanding that California elected officials allow water to flow to communities instead of into the Pacific Ocean is needed because state environmental policies are destroying fire-ravaged Los Angeles. 

“Los Angeles has massive amounts of water available to it all they have to do is turn the valve,” Mr. Trump told reporters.

The president railed against California officials, saying they’ve “destroyed the city.” 

“What they’ve done to that city is unbelievable,” he said. “We want the water that they’re throwing away to be used for California and that includes the farmers of California.”

Mr. Trump signed an executive order on Monday, one of dozens, “to route more water from the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta to other parts of the state for use by the people there who desperately need a reliable water supply.” The title of the order is “Putting people over fish: stopping radical environmentalism to provide water to Southern California.”

The president again mentioned the Delta smelt fish that was being protected in California, blaming it for scuttling a plan he had during his first administration to divert water from the Sacramento-San Joaquin River Delta to farmland.

“Isn’t it incredible that they don’t do it?” he said of re-directing the water. “And it’s to protect the Delta smelt, it’s a fish that’s doing poorly anyway.”

California Gov. Gavin Newsom rejected Mr. Trump’s claims about the Delta smelt earlier this month.

“I don’t know what he’s referring to when he talks about the Delta smelt in reservoirs. The reservoirs are completely full, the state reservoirs here in Southern California. That mis- and disinformation I don’t think advantages or aids any of us,” Mr. Newsom said.

Numerous wildfires spread through the Los Angeles region earlier this month, leaving more than 25 people dead and thousands of structures destroyed. Some are still blazing, although most have been contained.

• Mallory Wilson can be reached at mwilson@washingtontimes.com.