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Can the President, Governor and Mayor put aside the partisan rancor and become an odd trio of political bedfellows?
WESTSIDE - Watching California Governor Gavin Newsom fidget as he awaited the arrival of the newly minted 47th President of the United States and the First Lady, I was struck by the absence of less than official image, as the Governor of the country’s largest state welcoming the most powerful man on the planet and the long-term ambition of possibly succeeding him come 2029.
For Newsom met Trump and his wife alone, no political entourage and no Mayor of Los Angeles.
For President Donald Trump’s visit to the Palisades Friday afternoon was a somber engagement of the victims, first responders and the preponderance of elected Democrats at the local, state and federal levels seeking his assistance, guidance and help with the dramatic shift in power as the GOP now holds control of all the levers of the federal government.
Trump, a builder and developer at heart made some obvious observations as the victims of the fire want to rebuild yesterday, and that they fear bureaucratic obstacles that could be in the way as some congressional Democrats sought assurances from the President that no strings will be attached to any federal assistance and help.
Trump, who seemed to have the support of those most effected questioned the viability of FEMA, the government agency that stands for Federal Emergency Management Agency. It's the federal agency that helps the United States prepare for, respond to, and recover from disasters.
FEMA is part of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security.
As usual, some Democrats tried to seize on the notion that because Trump is questioning the reliability of FEMA, that the President is scrapping any federal assistance to the victims of this tragedy.
Nothing could be further from the truth.
For Trump apparently was told it was FEMA saying the timeline for reconstruction could be 18 months, as Trump dismissed that timeline as unacceptable, and urged LA Mayor Karen Bass to use her emergency authorities to cut back on the red tape and get construction started as soon as possible.
Bass countered that was her stated goal, and that getting people back in their homes was the priority.
And while Trump and local officials should get high marks for getting together and formulating an alliance, will it be short lived or just for the cameras?
I asked Crystal M Litz, a Los Angeles & Las Vegas based political consultant & strategist her take on Newsom’s cooperation with the President after years of scorched earth volleys and partisan bickering. `
“Classic Newsom and I expected nothing less - he’s always understood optics. It was important for Newsom to demonstrate that despite all the vitriol between them, he intends to put the needs of Los Angeles ahead of politics, at least as much as he can. He won’t be a pushover when Trump puts conditions on receiving aid. But I think this tarmac gesture probably impressed Trump.”
I asked Litz if Trump’s background as a builder and developer made him the right president at this moment in time?
“No. Trump doesn’t understand the need for housing as it relates to building or re-building a community. He’s a luxury property developer and a speculator. Now from a Los Angeles perspective, we see a real need for developers and builders to work with government officials and that is encouraging, because it’s something that has needed to happen for some time and this tragedy could help move that partnership along in a new and beneficial way,” offered Litz.
Despite the past partisan battles between Trump and Newsom, I got the feeling POTUS could work with the Governor more so than the Mayor when it came to strategic alliances moving forward.
“Trump likely respected Newsom’s move of meeting on the tarmac unattended by staff – that’s a play the “created by reality television” President would appreciate. But Trump and his team undoubtedly also see this as a way to chip away at some of the slowly eroding blue state armor in California. We clearly saw in the 2024 election that crime was a real concern for California voters – even in Los Angeles – with the overwhelming support for Prop 36 – despite not having the support of the Democrats or the Governor. Trump has some opportunity with the fires and more moderate to conservative voters in the state who have already begun to suspect that their elected leaders have misdirected priorities (i.e. - the “I saved the fish” while the fires burned meme that is all over social media),” commented the consultant.
For it seemed commencing the clean-up and eventual construction as Trump observed, will Mayor Karen Bass accommodate that request of getting the process fast tracked?
“The pressure on Bass will only increase if she doesn’t. Mayor Bass comes from an organizing background, so she needs to dig deep into that skill set and put together coalitions that will move quickly and not become bogged down in government speak and red tape, and instead can actually get things done without delay. This needs to happen immediately and will go a long way towards quieting the criticism that she faces over the management of the crisis. Invite Rick Caruso to serve,” suggested the LP Campaigns head.
As of this writing, there is no indication that Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass and developer Rick Caruso are collaborating on wildfire recovery efforts.
In fact, Caruso has been a vocal critic of Mayor Bass's handling of the recent wildfires. He has accused the city of mismanagement and highlighted issues such as inadequate water pressure in fire hydrants during the Palisades Fire. Caruso also criticized budget cuts to the Los Angeles Fire Department, which he believes compromised the city's emergency response capabilities.
In response to the crisis, Mayor Bass appointed developer Steve Soboroff as the city's Chief Recovery Officer to lead disaster rebuilding efforts. Meanwhile, Caruso and his wife pledged $5 million to the Los Angeles Fire Department Foundation to support firefighting resources.
Beyond the major players in this recovery equation, I asked Litz to name other elected officials that are rising to the occasion as well?
“When you have a crisis of this magnitude, leaders quickly emerge and become obvious. LA County Supervisor Kathryn Barger (District 5) has been tremendous during this event as has LA Councilwoman Traci Park (CD-11). Both of these women have been the model of the leadership you want in a catastrophe – empathetic, strong, informed and proactive. They are the two that have been the most effective so far and really, it’s not surprising – neither are ideologues and aren’t consumed with niche political issues. I’m enormously impressed with Barger and Park. And I suspect most Angelenos are too.”
So this first meeting has these top political leaders all sailing in the same direction, at least for now?
Governor Newsom has signed a $2.5 billion relief package to aid in the rebuilding of areas affected by the wildfires, with the goal of preparing for the 2028 Olympics. However, experts have urged caution, recommending that reconstruction efforts consider long-term sustainability and avoid rebuilding in high-risk areas without significant changes.
In addition to state efforts, President Trump issued an executive order directing the federal government to override California's water-management practices if necessary to enhance firefighting efforts. This order mandates the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation to increase water and hydropower delivery through the Central Valley Project, even against state or local regulations.
While specific details of a unified strategy involving all three leaders are still developing, these current collaborations indicate a concerted effort at both state and federal levels to address the aftermath of the wildfires and to develop effective recovery strategies.
Afterall, good government is good politics.
(Nick Antonicello is a thirty-two year resident of Venice who covers the politics and governance of the Westside. Have a take or a tip? Contact him at [email protected])
