As wildfires raged across Los Angeles, killing at least 24 people and destroying thousands of structures, some people sought to contrast emergency response to the fires to disaster response that followed deadly hurricanes that battered the southeastern U.

WASHINGTON (AP) — President Donald Trump is heading to hurricane-battered western North Carolina and wildfire-ravaged Los Angeles on Friday, using the first trip of his second administration to tour areas where politics has clouded the response to deadly disasters.

U.S. President Donald Trump on Friday floated shuttering the Federal Emergency Management Agency during a trip to disaster areas in North Carolina and California, where he pledged government support and sparred with Democratic officials.