Tensions flared Friday as President Donald Trump clashed with Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass over the city’s wildfire crisis. Trump, 78, toured the wildfire damage in America’s second-largest city and demanded that Bass use her “emergency powers” to allow residents to return home and begin rebuilding immediately.
Trump demands immediate action
At a roundtable discussion with local officials and lawmakers, Trump expressed frustration over the delay in allowing residents access to their properties. The president backed local complaints about the slow recovery efforts. “You have to let people clear their debris and start the process tonight,” he said, turning to Bass, who was seated next to him.
Bass contradicts herself on timeline
Bass, however, contradicted herself minutes later. She initially claimed that residents would be allowed back soon but then offered a timeline of one week. “We want people to be safe,” she said, though local voices in the room weren’t so convinced. “We can’t even see our homes right now!” one resident shouted in protest.
Trump’s forceful response to Bass
Trump fired back, reminding Bass, “You have emergency powers, just like I do, and I’m exercising mine. You have to exercise yours!” Bass insisted that she had already acted, saying individuals could clear out their properties.
But Trump was having none of it. “A week is actually a long time. These people are safe,” he said, expressing impatience over the delayed response.
The president took a strong stance on speeding up recovery efforts. He pledged to waive federal permits to expedite rebuilding and promised to pressure California officials to follow suit. “I’m going to override the Coastal Commission,” Trump said, clearly upset by what he described as bureaucratic hurdles preventing progress.
Blame on local policies for the disaster
Trump also pointed fingers at local policies for causing the disaster. He blamed California Democrats for poor vegetation management and inadequate water supply, which he argued left fire hydrants dry and contributed to the disaster’s scale. “You lost your insurance companies six months ago because the state didn’t give them what they needed,” Trump told Rep. Brad Sherman, further fueling the tensions.
Trump to open water supply for firefighting
The president also promised to fix the water issue, announcing an executive order to open the pumps from Northern California. “I’m signing an order to get that water flowing,” Trump declared, referencing his long-standing criticism of Governor Gavin Newsom. “Use it and be happy about it,” he added, making it clear that he thought more could have been done years ago to prevent such devastation.
As the fire-fighting community cheered on Trump’s commitment, he took another swing at the state’s environmental regulations, which he claimed were holding back recovery efforts. “They talk about the delta smelt, a tiny fish, but we need to focus on protecting the people of California,” Trump said, drawing applause from Republicans in the room.
Ric Grenell to lead federal recovery efforts
In an unexpected move, Trump appointed his first-term ambassador to Germany, Ric Grenell, to lead federal efforts in wildfire recovery. The president also promised that federal funds would flow to California soon, declaring, “America wants this to be taken care of.”
Trump’s promise of federal aid
Throughout the roundtable, Trump didn’t specify whether he would make changes to California’s voting laws a condition of receiving federal aid, despite making that claim earlier in North Carolina.
“We’re going to turn this around. We’ll come back, and we’ll open the coffers,” Trump promised the gathered crowd. “There can be no golden age without the Golden State.“
Despite the heated exchange, Bass stuck to her position, maintaining that safety was the priority, even as residents vented their frustrations. As the wildfire recovery efforts continue, the clash between Trump and Bass highlights a larger struggle over how to manage disaster recovery, balancing emergency powers, bureaucratic hurdles, and immediate action for those affected.
