Trump confronts LA Mayor over slow wildfire rebuilding


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During his Friday visit to Los Angeles, former President Donald Trump expressed strong criticism toward Mayor Karen Bass regarding her handling of the city’s wildfire recovery efforts, particularly concerning the prolonged delays preventing evacuated residents from returning to rebuild their homes.

The tension became evident shortly after Trump’s arrival, despite Bass’s initial welcoming demeanor and promises of swift action. Trump immediately challenged the disconnect between the city’s public statements and the experiences reported by affected residents.

The situation intensified during a press conference where Trump confronted Bass about reports from homeowners who claimed they were told to expect an 18-month waiting period before beginning reconstruction.

“One thing is they are saying they will not be allowed to start for 18 months,” Trump stated.

“No, that will not be the case,” Bass responded.

“Okay, I just hope you’re right,” Trump replied.

“You can hold me to it,” Bass assured.

“Four groups said that,” Trump persisted.

“No,” Bass maintained.

“They should be able to do it. They should be able to start tonight,” Trump insisted.

Bass explained the necessary precautions, stating, “That will not be the case. You know, first, we have to take care to make sure that there’s not getting rid of the hazardous waste, cleaning things up so that people can start right away. Just like you said, if somebody had their house was destroyed and they’re going to rebuild, essentially the same, maybe a little bit longer, a little bit higher, they really shouldn’t have to go through much of a process. I want you to know that we are expediting that. We absolutely need your help. We need the federal help.”

Trump promptly responded, “You got it, I told you. You will have no permit problem. There will be zero delay. As far as I’m concerned, you already have the permits.”

The exchange grew more contentious when a local homeowner interrupted, challenging Bass’s statements by referencing information they had received the previous evening about the 18-month timeline. The resident pressed further about specific timeframes, leading to additional back-and-forth between Trump and Bass about debris removal and reconstruction timelines.

“Last night, 18 months. If that’s not the answer, Mayor Bass, what is the answer because that’s what we were all told last night,” the homeowner questioned.

Trump criticized Bass’s delayed use of emergency powers, noting she waited six days to issue an executive order. He emphasized that residents were eager to begin cleanup immediately, even willing to handle debris removal themselves.

“But the people are willing to clean out their own debris. It doesn’t cost a lot,” Trump argued.

The discussion continued to highlight the disconnect between administrative processes and residents’ immediate needs, with Trump advocating for faster action and Bass maintaining the importance of safety protocols.

The exchange concluded with Trump expressing frustration about the proposed one-week waiting period for residents to return to their properties, stating, “That’s a long time, a week. I’ll be honest. To me, everyone’s standing in front of their house, they want to go to work and they’re not allowed to do it. A week is a long time.”

“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. It’s not going to burn anymore. There’s nothing to burn. There’s almost nothing to burn. They want to go in. The people are all over the place. They’re standing, and I say, Warren, you’re going in. We’re trying to get a permit, and the permit is going to take them. Everybody said 18 months. You said 18 months. You said 18 months.”

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