President Donald Trump on Friday once again made it clear that he wants wildfire-ravaged California to bend to his demands if residents want to see any federal disaster aid. “I want two things: I want voter ID for the people of California.

The demand further politicized a fragile situation that has left Gov. Gavin Newsom scrambling to respond to the whims of the president — or even to speak with him at all — to secure billions of dollars from the federal government to help Los Angeles fight an ongoing firestorm and rebuild.