California fears funding cuts as Trump threatens aid over wildfires
3 Min Read
As Los Angeles braces for President Trump’s visit to survey wildfire damage, concerns rise over federal funding.
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A firefighter sets out fire hoses to fight the Hughes Fire. (AP)
As Los Angeles, devastated by wildfires, prepares for President Donald Trump's visit, many worry he may withhold essential federal funding needed for the city's recovery.
Trump is scheduled to visit the fire-ravaged city on Friday afternoon, witnessing firsthand the catastrophic damage, which will require billions of dollars to repair.
While former President Joe Biden quickly pledged the necessary funds before leaving office, Trump has taken a different approach, publicly criticizing California Governor Gavin Newsom and revisiting his longstanding claims about water supplies.
"I don't think we should give California anything until they let the water run down," Trump stated, insisting on his false belief that there exists a water valve in northern California that could release billions of gallons of water.
For those who lost everything in the fires, the possibility of losing federal assistance is deeply concerning. "I just can't fathom that the government is going to let so many people (suffer)... that they're not going to help them," said Sebastian Harrison, a 59-year-old former actor who lost his Malibu home and had no insurance due to prohibitively high premiums.
The big picture
In Altadena and Pacific Palisades, thousands of destroyed buildings need to be cleared, with federal funds from Biden allocated for 180 days. However, local officials are anxious that Trump may not honor these funds.
"Everybody's rushing to make sure the funds get here before Trump gets in office," one anonymous official explained. Despite Trump’s typical opposition to California, the demographic makeup of the disaster areas—affecting both affluent and working-class residents—gives some hope that Trump may not abandon the region.
"Trump may think of Altadena as a bunch of low-life Democrats, but Pacific Palisades is a different story," the source said. "That's the first zip code where he and other Republicans go to when they want to raise money in Los Angeles."
In Pacific Palisades and nearby Malibu, which are less politically left-leaning, some prominent figures, like actor Mel Gibson, also lost their homes. Trump recently appointed Gibson as ambassador to Hollywood.
Despite the tension between Trump and Governor Newsom, who Trump often mocks as "Newscum", Newsom has recently taken a more conciliatory approach. "Historically, federal disaster aid has been provided without conditions, recognizing that political calculations or regional divides should not encumber relief efforts," Newsom wrote in a letter to Republican House Speaker Mike Johnson. "This principle of unity is at the heart of our nation's resilience."
California, however, is prepared to take legal action if necessary. State Attorney General Rob Bonta expressed disappointment over Trump politicizing the disaster.
"We have every expectation that federal action will be taken to support California and the hardworking Californians whose lives and livelihoods are at risk," Bonta said.
"We have been preparing for the Trump administration for months, and we will not hesitate to act if we believe the president is violating the law," he added.
