Mel Gibson blasted California Gov. Gavin Newsom and Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass. He blamed them for the Palisades and Eaton fires that tore through Southern California.
Gibson stood with Saving California in Altadena on Wednesday. He backed efforts to recall Newsom.
"We deserve much more and much better," Gibson said. "There is absolutely no adequate excuse the governor or mayor can make for this gross mismanagement."
The fires hit hard. Altadena and Pacific Palisades were devastated. Gibson lost his home in the Palisades Fire on Jan. 7.
"Was it incompetence? Was it indifference, complacency, carelessness? Was it negligence? Absolutely," he said.
Gibson, now a Hollywood ambassador for President Trump, pushed for federal oversight. He said an investigation should happen before California gets aid.
The numbers are staggering. The Palisades Fire killed 29 people and burned 23,448 acres. It destroyed 6,833 homes and businesses. The Eaton Fire scorched 14,021 acres, wiping out 9,418 buildings.
"A lot of people have left, and I don't blame them," Gibson admitted. "Even … people who were liberal, it didn't suit them anymore. But if everybody leaves, what's going to happen?"
Fox News host Sean Hannity recently left New York for similar reasons. Gibson agreed that many A-listers were fleeing high taxes and strict regulations.
Still, he’s staying. He plans to work with Trump to fix Hollywood. "People are going somewhere else because it's more cost-effective," he said. "But I think it can be fixed."
Trump appointed Gibson, Jon Voight, and Sylvester Stallone as Hollywood envoys. Gibson promised to meet with them and "educate" himself on solutions.
He expects Trump to "get some results here quickly." He took another swipe at Newsom, criticizing the state's failing tax incentives.
"I know Newsom gave some tax incentives, but maybe not enough because it's still not working," Gibson said. "There are other things that offset that."