California Governor Gavin Newsom visited the Palisades last week to discuss federal funding for rebuilding the fire-affected community. This visit took place amidst ongoing disagreements with President Trump over disaster aid and during Newsom's national book tour, which many see as a potential pre-presidential campaign.
The governor's office confirmed that Newsom met with Palisades fire victims on March 3 at the Ronald Reagan American Legion Post 283, a recovery center for residents. Tara Gallegos, Newsom's spokesperson, stated that the governor engaged with community leaders and survivors to discuss the state's support for recovery efforts. They also talked about Newsom's request to the Trump administration for disaster funding, which has been unanswered for over a year.
During the visit, the recovery center was open to the public, Gallegos noted. Local residents expressed their willingness to provide current disaster funding requests to Newsom for submission to FEMA and HUD, aiming to resolve the funding deadlock between Newsom and the Trump administration.
Following the devastation caused by the Palisades and Eaton fires, which resulted in 31 fatalities and the destruction of approximately 16,000 homes and structures in January 2025, California sought around $40 billion in federal disaster assistance. Despite this, Trump has not yet requested congressional appropriations for fire aid.
In response to the lack of federal funds for rebuilding efforts, Trump issued an executive order in January to streamline permitting processes for reconstruction, bypassing local regulations to expedite construction. Newsom's office criticized this move initially, likening it to an ineffective executive order to rebuild Mars. However, they later urged the president to release federal aid to support communities in their extensive rebuilding endeavors.
Meanwhile, Governor Newsom is currently on a national book tour promoting his new memoir, "Young Man in a Hurry: A Memoir of Discovery."
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