Will Trump and California’s famous feud impede recovery from Los Angeles fires?

Washington—— As President-elect Donald Trump approaches the inauguration, federal aid to fire-ravaged Los Angeles has become entangled in partisan political battles in Washington.

These catastrophic wildfires are among the most destructive and costly in U.S. history, highlighting the need for ongoing funding for continued recovery efforts. But House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-Louisiana) said Tuesday that Congress is set for a potentially lengthy political battle over continued relief funding based on California’s liberal leadership during the disaster.

“if [California Gov.] Are there consequences for the decisions made by Gavin Newsom and local leaders that made this disaster exponentially worse — as it appears to have been? Johnson told reporters on Tuesday. “Why do people in other states, other governors and other mayors – who manage their water resources better, manage their forests better – why do they have to care and compensate for California’s bad decisions? I’m not saying we’re going to take anything away from it. People are excluded. We will meet our responsibilities but we may need to consider safeguards carefully.

Newsom and Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass were overseas when the Palisades fire broke out and faced criticism for their leadership during the wildfires. Los Angeles Fire Chief Christine Crowley said last week that Bass had failed her department.

California Democrats — particularly those representing areas devastated by wildfires — blasted Johnson for politicizing the disaster.

“Speaker Johnson has not visited California,” said freshman Rep. Luz Rivas (D-North Hollywood), who represents the area devastated by the Eaton fire. “Once you see it, you know we need assistance immediately. People in parts of Los Angeles have lost everything and it will take a long time to recover.

With less than a week to go before Trump is sworn in, with Republicans leading in both chambers of Congress, the impact of Trump’s long-standing feud with California on the state’s recovery efforts has been laid bare. Liberal California has long been a thorn in the side of conservative leaders and a frequent punching bag for Trump during his 2024 presidential campaign.

The trend has continued in recent days, with Trump publicly criticizing California leadership’s handling of the catastrophic wildfires, posting on the Truth social site on Tuesday morning: “Stop it, Newsom. What’s wrong with you? DJT.” Trump reiterated a dubious claim that when he was president years ago, he offered Newsom a deal to bring water from the north, possibly from Canada, to fill California’s reservoirs.

Several leaders in Los Angeles have invited Trump to survey the damage in the area, and he has said he will visit next week.

Politico reported on Monday that Republican leaders who met with Trump at Mar-a-Lago in Florida over the weekend discussed tying future wildfire funding to the deep political fight over raising the debt ceiling. Johnson considered the idea during a press conference on Tuesday, telling reporters that House lawmakers discussed it.

“How do we be good fiscal stewards of the public’s wealth and fulfill the responsibilities of the federal government?” Johnson said. “It’s a delicate balance.”

Trump and Johnson have said they want to raise the debt ceiling to achieve other legislative goals. Johnson holds a slim majority in the House and cannot afford to lose many Republican votes – and Republicans have traditionally been reluctant to increase federal spending, instead urging fiscal austerity. Johnson may need to win over House Democrats to secure the additional seats. But House Democratic Caucus Chairman Pete Aguilar (D-Redlands) said Tuesday that “we will not support conditions on disaster aid.”

“I think it’s a mistake to tie the debt ceiling to California’s bailout,” Rep. Brad Sherman (D-Sherman Oaks), who represents the West District devastated by the Palisades fire, said in an interview Monday. “You don’t usually say, OK, I’ll help a drowning person, but only if I get a million-dollar check and a free Dodgers ticket. So I’m not happy with any contact.

Sherman added that he would be happy to get rid of Congress’ debt ceiling for good, but acknowledged that it could be a potentially important leverage tool when it comes to securing future funding for a Republican-led Congress. Rep. Ted Lieu, the vice chairman of the House Democratic caucus, called Johnson’s suggestion to link disaster relief to “irrelevant concepts” such as the debt ceiling “outrageous.”

“We should not take advantage of the pain and suffering of our fellow Americans,” Liu said. “When Mother Nature strikes, she doesn’t care about party affiliation. At the end of the day, we’re all Americans.

California has continued to provide funding through the Federal Emergency Management Agency for some time. President Biden has pledged 100% federal support for disaster relief over the next six months, and California leaders have thanked the president for his cooperation. But federal officials, including Biden, have given no assurances that federal funding will continue after Trump takes office on Monday.

The most Biden can say is that he “hopes” the aid will continue. Once Trump begins his new term, his promise of six months of funding could become empty. When reporters asked if California would get the help it needs under the next administration, Biden responded: “I can’t answer that. I pray to God that they will,” adding that he hoped Trump officials would recognize The Biden administration “has some significant experience in this area.”

While Federal Emergency Management Agency Administrator Deanne Criswell assured that federal law allows Biden to make the funding commitments he made, she would not confirm that funding would not be halted by future administrations.

“Anyone can decide if they want to do something, but it’s done under regulations and I think the regulations say this is the direction that needs to happen and that’s not the way it should be rolled back,” she said on Friday. said at a press conference.