Antonio Villaraigosa, a Democratic candidate for California governor and former Los Angeles mayor, says California cannot rely on President Donald Trump as an explanation for the state’s homelessness situation and surging costs. Across reporting from multiple outlets, Villaraigosa argues that Democrats “can’t put everything” on Trump, and he instead points to state-level Democratic policies and governance choices as contributing factors. He frames the homelessness crisis and rising expenses as outcomes driven largely by California’s own political and policy decisions rather than federal action.
Both sources describe Villaraigosa’s position as an effort to distinguish between what he says are federal influences and what he characterizes as domestic, policy-driven drivers of the crisis. The accounts also note that the remarks come during his campaign for the governorship. Overall, the reports agree on the central theme: Villaraigosa publicly minimizes blaming Trump for homelessness and high costs, emphasizing that the problem is rooted in California’s Democratic administrations and policy history.
