President Donald Trump reportedly plans to lift federal regulations on Monday to expedite the rebuilding of Los Angeles County, which has been ravaged by wildfires.
Axios co-founder Mike Allen reported of Trump’s potential timeline Saturday morning, just hours after the president vowed to waive federal permitting requirements for the rebuild.
“After touring war-zone-like wildfire devastation Friday, President Trump plans to act as soon as Monday to bring federal regulatory relief to help Angelenos clean up and rebuild,” Allen wrote.
Trump will reportedly rely on his decades of building, development, and regulation expertise to expedite the rebuild of Los Angeles County,
“Trump is drawing on expertise about the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) and the California Coastal Commission, which’ll play a massive role in residents’ ability to rebuild,” Allen wrote, citing one source.
During a Friday night roundtable in Los Angeles County, Trump focused on CEQA and the Coastal Commission.
When told at the round table that CEQA can add years to permitting applications, Trump replied, “Can’t do it.”
“We’re going to have to override the Coastal Commission because I’ve dealt with the Coastal Commission for a long time, and they are considered the most difficult in the entire country, and we cannot have them play their games and wait ten years to give somebody a permit,” Trump said.
“In fact, I’m going to override the Coastal Commission. I’m not going to let them get away with their antics,” he added to applause.
On January 12, Gov. Gavin Newsom (D-CA) notably suspended permitting and review requirements under the Coastal Commission and CEQA.
Trump implored Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass (D) to waive local permitting requirements as well. Bass said she would forgo the criteria, but they had a tense exchange when Trump challenged her commitment to this.
When Trump advocated for victims to have access to clean their own lots immediately, Bass claimed they could, leading to pushback from those in attendance.
🚨 BREAKING: LA Mayor Karen Bass and Trump with a very tense exchange now... Bass is losing her cool over insistence from community members and Trump who say that clearly, people aren't being allowed back on their property soon enough.
— Eric Daugherty (@EricLDaugh) January 25, 2025
TRUMP: People are willing to clean up… pic.twitter.com/k2w9KcB88l
“And if individuals want to clear out their property, they can,” Bass said, leading to a grumbling in the room.
“Yes, but you know that you will be able to go back soon,” she admitted. “We think within a week.”
Trump said a week is “a long time.”
