The California Department of Water Resources on Tuesday rejected President Donald Trump’s claim that the U.S. military “turned on the water” supply in the state. In a statement on X, formerly Twitter,

President Trump heightened his battle with California over water policy by suggesting troops arrived in the state to turn on water pumps — which state officials quickly denied.

As a rule, the president’s water-related preoccupation generates eye-rolling and easy jokes. Sometimes, however, it’s not funny at all.