6 Months Since L.A. Fires: Gavin Newsom Focuses on Trump, Not Rebuilding
California Governor (and podcaster) Gavin Newsom is focused on anything but rebuilding the communities devastated by the Palisades and Eaton fires six months ago, obsessed instead with his presidential ambitions.
Newsom requested $40 billion in fire relief from Congress. But he has received nothing new — not even in the “One Big Beautiful Bill” that President Donald Trump signed on July 4th — and is making little headway.
That is at least partly because Newsom has been obsessed with attacking Trump — partly over genuine policy differences, but also because the California governor appears to be setting himself up for a presidential run.
Rather than the diplomatic approach Newsom often took during the coronavirus pandemic, when he often praised Trump to ensure California received respirators and other aid, Newsom has been on the warpath.
Newsom opposed the “Big Beautiful Bill” bitterly. He also signed $50 million in spending to fight the Trump administration’s policies, seeking nationwide injunctions on issues from immigration to climate to tariffs.
California is even suing Trump over his administration’s popular policy of protecting female athletes from transgender men, with Newsom taking a stance that is supported by the Democratic base and few others.
Newsom also lost — badly — in his bid to stop President Trump from deploying the National Guard to assist with suppressing riots in L.A., after left-wing activists attacked Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officers. Nevertheless, Newsom has persisted in fighting the Trump administration, and launching personal attacks on the president, claiming that the federal government should provide billions in aid, regardless.
On Monday, Newsom plans a press conference to mark the six-month anniversary of the fires. But the next day, he is leaving for a two-day swing through eight rural counties in South Carolina — a key primary state.
Newsom’s visit has been advertised as an opportunity to discuss shared experiences in dealing with natural disasters. But Newsom’s record has been dismal, and he has struggled to deal with fires and blizzards alike.
On the ground in L.A., progress has been mixed. While the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers has made rapid progress in removing debris, local government authorities have been slow to grant rebuilding permits.
The state’s troubled insurance market, made worse during Newsom’s tenure by rules restricting premium hikes in the face of growing risks, has meant that many residents are underinsured for the cost of rebuilding.
Many locals are frustrated — primarily with L.A. Mayor Karen Bass, and with insurance companies, but also, increasingly, with Newsom. A majority of California voters say the governor is too focused on himself.
In the aftermath of the wildfires, Newsom found time to launch a podcast, irritating even Democratic voters as he hosted conservative “influencers,” apparently in an effort to show he could debate the opposition.
Newsom is barred from running for re-election next year due to term limits. As he focuses on the presidential primary in 2028, his record on the fires will become more visible. He is running out of time to make progress.
Joel B. Pollak is Senior Editor-at-Large at Breitbart News and the host of Breitbart News Sunday on Sirius XM Patriot on Sunday evenings from 7 p.m. to 10 p.m. ET (4 p.m. to 7 p.m. PT). He is the author of Trump 2.0: The Most Dramatic ‘First 100 Days’ in Presidential History, available for Amazon Kindle. He is also the author of The Trumpian Virtues: The Lessons and Legacy of Donald Trump’s Presidency, now available on Audible. He is a winner of the 2018 Robert Novak Journalism Alumni Fellowship. Follow him on Twitter at @joelpollak.
