“This represents a significant failure of elected political leadership in American history, from enabling the wildfires to inadequately managing them, and it persists today with the continued inability to rebuild,” the order states.
The order claims that state and local governments did not effectively prevent, respond to, or recover from the Eaton and Pacific Palisades fires, which ravaged nearly 40,000 acres, resulted in the destruction of countless homes and businesses, and caused residents to be displaced.
The order contends that permitting requirements and administrative hurdles have hindered reconstruction, despite federal efforts for debris removal and disaster support.
According to the order, the Department of Homeland Security — through the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) and the Small Business Administration — is instructed to evaluate regulations that could override state and local permitting processes for projects funded by the federal government.
The order further directs federal agencies to accelerate environmental and historic preservation reviews when legally permissible, and it requires FEMA to assess California’s allocation of federal hazard mitigation funds.
Moreover, the administration mandated the creation of legislative proposals to broaden federal authority to intervene in disaster recovery efforts when state or local governments are seen as obstructing rebuilding.
This action heightens tensions between Trump and California Gov. Gavin Newsom, who has been a longstanding political opponent. Newsom criticized the order in a post on X.
“Donald Trump has enacted a pointless Executive Order instead of providing the $34 BILLION in wildfire disaster aid that California’s taxpayers DESERVE to actually rebuild!” Newsom expressed.
