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PASADENA, Calif. () — Gov. Gavin Newsom is asking the Trump administration to help victims of the January wildfires by providing federal disaster aid.
Eyewitness News Political Reporter Josh Haskell sat down with Newsom for an exclusive one-on-one interview on Thursday.
Newsom was in SoCal on Thursday with a focus on the recovery from the deadly and devastating Eaton and Palisades fires. During his visit, he toured The Foothill Catalog in Pasadena, a collection of pre-approved home designs for displaced Altadena and Palisades residents.
Thousands of families remain displaced following the Eaton and Palisades fires, and fire victims are running out of money for temporary housing as rebuilding costs are rising.
Homeowners are at risk of paying two housing payments at once, and some are being forced to sell and leave the communities that they love.
Newsom recently traveled to Washington, D.C., and says the Department of Homeland Security, which oversees FEMA, didn’t make the acting director available to him. Another official wasn’t offered, and Newsom did not meet with President Donald Trump.
The purpose of the trip was to press Congress for $33.9 billion in federal disaster aid for the fires.
Newsom asks for government support after the January wildfires, sends letter to Trump
“Governor, would you say that the Trump administration has abandoned Los Angeles in not sending the proposal to Congress for the aid that you’ve asked for?” Haskell asked.
“I wouldn’t go so far as to say abandoned. I just don’t think they’ve indulged in spending any time or energy in thinking about the lives that have been torn asunder here in Southern California, lives that still have not recovered fully. The $5.7 billion, however, that has been received by the federal government, is a proof point that at least they haven’t put any sand in the gears of the normal bureaucratic process,” Newsom said. “But what we’re asking for today is a step up from that, because now we’re getting close to that one-year anniversary, and people have not had that opportunity to get back into their homes because they simply can’t afford to rebuild their homes, because they’re either under-insured or they’re still fighting with their insurance companies. They either are trying to still figure out whether or not the community is going to be rebuilt, the infrastructure, all of that is hanging in the balance with the supplemental request.”
Newsom is sending a letter to Trump following his visit to D.C., saying disaster aid should not be about politics but about principle, ensuring that American families who lost everything are not left on hold.
In the letter, Newsom says California submitted a disaster funding request for the administration’s review last February, but says the request still hasn’t been transmitted to Congress for evaluation.
“Our request is to fund your federal agencies to rebuild roads, schools and water systems, develop housing, and reopen small businesses,” Newsom wrote.
He thanked Trump for the $5.7 billion in FEMA aid that was used to clear debris and support businesses, but said there is much more to be done, noting that he has bipartisan support in Congress for the funding.
“This is not just a blue state, it’s also a red state issue, and in that respect, the consensus opinion is, Congress is there. We have bipartisan support from all Republican representatives in California. We continue to work with them and Democratic representatives. It’s just moving the President of the United States, and that’s difficult, and no one’s naive about it, and we’ll continue to keep punching,” Newsom said Thursday.
In his interview with Eyewitness News, Newsom noted that there is nowhere else to get the necessary funding.
“No, this is the responsibility of the federal government. This is getting our money back. California is a donor state, $83.1 billion. Texas, a taker state, $71.1 billion. We are asking for federal dollars in a time of need for American citizens, who happen to be Californians. It’s a modest request because it’s an honest request,” Newsom said. “We didn’t go for the stars. We didn’t overshoot, and we didn’t overstate the need. We’ve been very sober about it. In fact, this letter reflects that, that we reduced the request from a few months ago because of the $5.7 billion we’ve received. So it’s $33.9 billion for a reason, and we can justify every single dollar in that request.”
When it comes to the federal aid — $2 billion would go towards building new affordable housing, and $9.9 billion would go to long-term housing and infrastructure needs. Then, $11.8 billion would go to repairing and upgrading damaged schools and emergency staffing.
But, if federal disaster aid depends on Trump and Newsom’s relationship, the outcome is unclear.
Newsom says he’s aware immigration raids could ramp up SoCal, points to court victories
Haskell also asked Newsom if he fears large-scale immigration raids will ramp up again in SoCal. That is something that he says he fears, but he did highlight the victory he had in court regarding the California National Guard’s deployment to Los Angeles.
“As it relates to the issue of immigration. No one is naive; we were the first test case. We saw masked men, communities on edge across this city, and we’re very mindful,” Newsom said. “None of us are naive that could ramp back up, and the impacts that’s having on rebuilding are already outsized. Tariff impacts on materials and supplies — he’s made cost of rebuilding go up in that respect. And mass deportations have impacted labor supply, which has also increased cost. The irony of that shouldn’t be lost on anybody. If he can stand down on those two things and provide some support, we’ll get to the next phase of this recovery.”
In an interview with Eyewitness News, Newsom — a frequent, vocal and vigorous critic of Trump — touched on recent allegations of Trump’s cognitive decline, something the president has pushed back against.
Newsom touches on allegations of Trump’s cognitive decline, says he’s seen him fall asleep in meetings
Newsom — a frequent, vocal and vigorous critic of Trump — also touched on recent allegations of Trump’s cognitive decline, something the president has pushed back against.
“I have seen him fall asleep in the middle of cabinet meetings. This is simply without precedent. I appreciate long trips. We’ve all been there, a little jet lag, a little exhaustion, but not on multiple occasions. I am not a doctor, but you’ve got to believe your own set of eyes. So certainly, something is going on there,” Newsom said. “But the president is more than capable of reviewing this letter I just sent, more than capable of reviewing our application, more than capable of stepping up and doing the right thing and being celebrated for it.”
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