President Donald Trump’s threat to withhold federal disaster relief to parts of California until certain conditions are met was chalked up to “political theater” by experts on Monday. Juliet Musso, associate professor at the Price School of Public Policy at the University of Southern California,

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.

The president suggested California shouldn't receive fire aid unless it institutes enhanced voter identification measures.