India, Jan. 24 -- President Donald Trump is set to visit hurricane-hit western North Carolina and wildfire-devastated Los Angeles on Friday, marking the first trip of his second term.

Trump has strongly criticised former President Joe Biden for his handling of the North Carolina crisis and accused California leaders' water policies of exacerbating the wildfires.

The White House has requested California congressional members, including Democrats to organise a roundtable at an airplane hangar in Santa Monica during Trump's visit.

Trump has proposed using federal disaster aid as leverage in unrelated legislative talks over government borrowing or to pressure California into altering its water policies.

"Southern California and California...