Trump's Executive Order to Expedite Rebuilding Post-Wildfires Faces Pushback

Tue Feb 03 2026 17:01:37 GMT+0200 (Eastern European Standard Time)

In response to the devastating wildfires in Los Angeles, President Donald Trump has signed an executive order aimed at facilitating the rebuilding of homes without bureaucratic hurdles. California Governor Gavin Newsom criticizes the move, emphasizing the need for essential disaster aid instead.

President Trump announced an executive order to speed up the rebuilding of homes destroyed in the January 2025 wildfires in Los Angeles. The order seeks to streamline permitting processes by allowing federal agencies to override state rules, but it faces skepticism from California officials, including Governor Newsom, who emphasizes that more than 1,600 permits are already being processed. Local residents highlight financial challenges as a significant barrier to rebuilding.

**LOS ANGELES (AP)** — In the wake of the January 2025 wildfires that ravaged the Los Angeles area, President Donald Trump has signed an executive order aiming to cut through bureaucratic red tape and accelerate the reconstruction of tens of thousands of homes. The order, made public on Tuesday, intends to allow homeowners to bypass unnecessary, duplicative, or obstructive permitting requirements that have delayed rebuilding efforts.

The executive order specifically directs federal agencies, including the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) and the Small Business Administration, to devise regulations that would allow builders to self-certify compliance with health, safety, and building standards, thereby overriding state and local permitting rules.

California Governor Gavin Newsom reacted skeptically, pointing out that local officials have already issued over 1,600 rebuilding permits, highlighting that efforts are underway without federal interference. Newsom also urged Trump to approve the state's $33.9 billion disaster aid request, stressing the dire need for financial assistance rather than additional federal orders.

“An executive order to rebuild Mars would do just as useful,” Newsom remarked on social media, imploring for real support instead of bureaucratic maneuvers.

Following last January's devastating fires that killed 31 people and destroyed approximately 13,000 homes, recovery efforts have remained sluggish. Reports indicate that as of January 7 this year, fewer than a dozen houses had been rebuilt, with around 900 still under construction.

Many survivors have cited financial challenges, such as obtaining insurance payouts and covering rebuild costs, as major obstacles in their recovery. Nearly one-third of fire survivors reported these issues in a December survey conducted by the Department of Angels, an advocacy group for fire survivors.

The executive order also includes provisions for auditing California's use of Hazard Mitigation Grant Program funds, a crucial resource meant to bolster state recovery efforts. Critics argue that cutting through regulatory issues fails to address the fundamental financial barriers facing survivors as they strive to rebuild their lives in the aftermath of the fires.