Donald Trump holds press conference in Rancho Palos Verdes and praises local politicians for response to landslides

RANCHO PALOS VERDES (CNS) — At a press conference in Rancho Palos Verdes on Friday, former President Donald Trump expressed his support for residents of the mountain community affected by the landslides and praised local politicians for their “great job” in managing the crisis.

He also spent a lot of time disparaging his Democratic opponent, Vice President Kamala Harris, saying the country could not allow Harris “and the communist left to do to America what they did to the state of California.”

Trump spoke to reporters Friday morning at the Trump National Golf Course, which features the Pacific Ocean as a backdrop, after attending a fundraiser in the Beverly Hills area Thursday night.

About a dozen Rancho Palos Verdes residents affected by the landslide gathered along the road leading to the golf club Friday morning, holding signs that read “Save our homes” and “Let's slide away.” Other signs read “Over 200 homes, no gas, no power, no help.”

Trump met with RPV Mayor John Cruikshank before the press conference Friday morning and the former president expressed his support for the residents.

Newsom declares state of emergency after numerous power outages in Rancho Palos Verdes

“I want to express my support to all the families affected by the landslides in Rancho Palos Verdes,” Trump said. “This area is very stable, but if you go a few miles further, you see something pretty amazing. The mountain is moving. And it could be stopped, but they need help from the government. So I hope they get that help. And I'm sure John will get that help. And I want to thank the mayor for his great job and tell the people what a great job he's doing.”

He also said he wanted to express his gratitude to “all public safety and emergency personnel working along the roadway, as well as utility workers fighting to restore service to residents.”

Due to the deteriorating conditions, dozens of households in the landslide area have lost electricity and gas supplies, and in some cases internet and cable connections.

However, Trump spent most of his press conference disparaging Harris and repeating many of his long-standing criticisms, particularly his claims about the millions of illegal immigrants streaming across the border.

“I'm here in California today with a very simple message to the American people: We cannot allow Comrade Kamala Harris and the communist left to do to America what they did to California,” Trump said. “The state of California is a mess. People are leaving and nothing is going to stop them. They're going to other states, some are going to other countries.”

Trump said Harris “destroyed San Francisco and she destroyed the state.”

“When you look at the destruction that has taken place, it was either caused by men or by women. … These are things that should never have happened, but we will not allow that to happen, even if she is in the White House for four more years.”

On Thursday evening, Trump attended a fundraiser in the Beverly Hills area.

The minimum cost to attend the event was $3,300, with preferred seating available for $7,500, while $50,000 included a photo shoot and attendance at a reception.

A ticket valued at $125,000 made the attendee a co-host of the event and included a panel discussion with Trump, as well as a photo opportunity and reception. Membership on the host committee cost $250,000.

Trump was last in Southern California in June, when he attended a sold-out lunchtime event in Newport Beach and an evening event in Beverly Hills.

This visit was Trump's first to Southern California since September 29 and 30, when he spoke at the California Republican Party fall convention in Anaheim and a fundraiser in Costa Mesa and visited the Carvel ice cream parlor in Westwood.

Trump was scheduled to fly to Northern California later Friday to attend another fundraiser in Woodside.