Trump Takes Swipe at Bloomberg, Touts Water Policy at Phoenix Campaign Rally

President Donald Trump took a swipe at Democratic presidential candidate Mike Bloomberg moments before signing a reworking of environmental regulations in Bakersfield, California.

The federal regulations will direct more of California's precious water to farmers and other agriculture interests in the state's Central Valley.

“Mini Mike hates the farmer,” Trump said. “Never mind, I don't think he's going to be the candidate anyway, to be honest with you.”

During his 2016 campaign, Trump was an outspoken critic of federal rules meant to ensure that enough freshwater stayed in rivers and the San Francisco Bay to sustain more than a dozen endangered fish and other native species, which are struggling as agriculture and development divert more water and land from wildlife.

“As a candidate for president, I promised to help solve the water crisis that was crippling our farmers due to the chronic mismanagement and misguided policies,” Trump told a crowd in Bakersfield.

“In 2018, I ordered the administration to update the outdated scientific research and biological opinions that help determine water allocation right here in the state of California. ... With today’s action, we will help bring farmland back to life.”

Bloomberg had been criticized in 2016 for saying at Oxford University, "I could teach anybody, even people in this room, no offense intended, to be a farmer." The former New York mayor continued: "It's a process. You dig a hole, you put a seed in, you put dirt on top, add water, up comes the corn."

Wednesday evening, Bloomberg was set to participate in his first debate against other Democrats running for president. The event is being held in Las Vegas, Nevada.

During his remarks, Trump also took swipes at California Gov. Gavin Newsom, a Democrat, and House Speaker Nancy Pelosi's congressional district, San Francisco.

"Look what's happened to San Francisco. So sad what's happened. When you see a slum where it's a slum. It's worse than a slum, there's no slum-like that. What they've done to San Francisco is a crying shame. It's something that we're going to do something about."

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