President Trump Tours Los Angeles Wildfire Damage, Pledges ‘100%’ of Federal Support
In the first trip to Southern California during the second term of his Presidency, President Trump arrived on Friday from the site of one disaster to the site of another disaster - Los Angeles.
Several communities in Southern California are looking for a path to recover and filled with uncertainty amid a string of what has been the most destructive wildfires in state history that have claimed at least 28 lives.
Before landing in Los Angeles, President Trump told pool reporters in North Carolina he wants two things from Los Angeles.
"I want to see two things in Los Angeles: Voter ID... and I want to see the water be released "
It was the latest calls from the President pushing for California to revise its water management policies, saying the worsened the impact of this string of wildfires has wrought. It's also more provided more fuel to elevate concerns over the possibility of preconditions to receive federal disaster aid being placed on state government.
Despite those fears, and all the tough talk, the President and our Governor greeted each other at the airport with a firm handshake.
"I appreciate the governor coming out and meeting me very much, and
we'll be talking,'' Trump says. ``We want to get it fixed. We want to get the
problem fixed. ... It's like you got hit by a bomb. It's like you got hit by a
bomb.''
Governor Newsom thanked Trump for being here as they walked up to reporters on the tarmac.
"It
"..means a great deal to all of us. Not just the folks in Palisades, but folks in
Altadena that were devastated. We're going to need your support. We're going to
need your help. You were there for us during COVID. I don't forget that. And I
have all the expectations that we'll be able to work together to get this
speedy recovery.''
Following a meeting with firefighters from fire station 69 in Pacific Palisades,
The President took an aerial tour of the damage aboard Marine One, before taking a walking tour of the damage where he greeted and thanked firefighters from station 69.
"I don't think you can realize how how rough it is, how, how devastating it is until you see it," President Trump explained after touring the damage. "I didn't realize, I mean, I, I saw a lot of bad things on television, but the extent of it, the size of it, we flew over it in a helicopter. We flew to a few of the areas and it is devastation. It's incredible. It's really an incineration."
The fire station is along Sunset Blvd., when you stand outside it and look around, it feels like it's the only building left standing amid the destruction caused from the fires.
It was there President Trump met with Los Angeles County leaders including L.A. Mayor Karen Bass and County Supervisor Kathryn Barger for a round table briefing with other political leaders and residents. During that meeting, the President said the government is 100 percent behind California in its disaster recovery, and said he would issue an order to waive federal permitting requirements and override the Coastal Commission in the rebuild.
"We're gonna waive just about essentially waive all federal permits," the President said. "We're gonna have you go very quickly because a federal permit can take 10 years. We're not gonna do that. We don't want to take 10 days."
The President also criticized the response of Federal Emergency Management Administration (FEMA) in responding to the wildfire disaster in Southern California and Hurricane Helene in North Carolina. He also expressed his displeasures with California's water management policies, saying he would sign an order to 'open up the valves' of California's water supply.
One moment of note came when President Trump and Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass corrected each other on projected timelines for the rebuilding process and when people can safely return to their homes.
The President said multiple parties had informed some residents were told they could not start rebuilding their homes for 18 months, to which the Mayor said isn't true.
“We are 100% committed to getting this neighborhood rebuilt again,” Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass said. “We are expediting that."
The President pushed back, saying he would let people go into the area 'tonight' to begin the rebuilding process. Mayor Bass explained how there still remains a significant level of damage for people in returing to their homes, and the debris removal and clean up process had to be carried out.
"You know what they're not safe? They're not safe now," the President explained. I watched hundreds of people standing in front of their lots. And they're not allowed to go in. It's all burned.It's gone. It's done. Nothing's going to happen to it."
The President continued, "...just think you have to allow the people to go on their site and start the process tonight.”
Before departing Pacific Palisades and traveling to Las Vegas, the President vowed continued federal government support.
"I'm going to be the president that's going to help you fix it..." the President explained. "We're gonna have a big celebration soon. We're going to come back and we'll come back as much as you need. And we're gonna turn it around and we're gonna open the coffers."
On Thursday, Gov. Gavin Newsom signed legislation providing $2.5 billion in relief funds to support recovery from the deadly wildfires that ravaged Pacific Palisades and Altadena.
Newsom said the money will be "made available immediately'' and will help cover "ongoing operations, disaster recovery, debris removal, work on logistics, traffic management, address all the myriad of issues that we're facing in real time."
There's heightened concern for the fire zones at both the Eaton and Palisades fires this weekend due to a chance of rain. The possibility of debris flow and potential mud zones will be top of mind for emergency responders in the fire zones through the weekend.
Stay up to date on the latest status of wildfires burning in Southern California and the response to the disaster here.
