In the wake of the devastating wildfires that ravaged Los Angeles, former President Donald Trump took Mayor Karen Bass to task over the city's sluggish response in allowing evacuated residents to return and rebuild their homes.
Trump's visit to the city, which occurred shortly after his inauguration, was marked by a stark contrast between the city's public assurances and the grim reality faced by local residents.
According to Gateway Pundit, during a press conference, Trump's approach was assertive as he confronted Mayor Bass with reports from homeowners stating they had been told they would face a prohibitive wait of 18 months before they could start rebuilding. Despite Mayor Bass's attempts to assure Trump that the extensive delays were not part of the city's recovery plan, Trump remained skeptical, citing concerns from numerous homeowners eager to rebuild but frustrated by bureaucratic delays.
Trump's exchange with Bass was marked by a clear tension. "One thing is they are saying they will not be allowed to start for 18 months," Trump stated, to which Bass responded, "No, that will not be the case." Trump, however, continued to express his skepticism, "Okay, I just hope youre right," he said, "Four groups said that." Despite Bass's insistence that the delays would not be as long as feared, Trump remained adamant, "They should be able to do it. They should be able to start tonight."
During the discussion, a homeowner interjected, highlighting the discrepancy between what was communicated to them and Bass's current statements. "Last night, 18 months. If thats not the answer, Mayor Bass, what is the answer because thats what we were all told last night," the homeowner pressed. Bass reiterated her commitment to speeding up the recovery efforts, but her reassurances seemed to fall short of Trumps expectations and those of the local community.
Trump criticized Mayor Karen Bass for not promptly utilizing her emergency powers to expedite residents return to their properties and commence rebuilding efforts. He pointed out that she possesses emergency powers similar to his own and urged immediate action. It can be recalled that Bass waited for 6 days to issue an executive power.
Homeowners at the meeting shared Trumps frustration, echoing Trumps concerns about the disconnect between city officials statements and the reality on the ground. As Trump and Bass went back and forth, the President did not hold back on his criticism of the slow response, emphasizing the need for immediate and effective action to allow residents to return to their properties and begin rebuilding without further delay.
Trump's exchange with a homeowner further highlighted the frustration felt by the residents. "Last night, we were told its got to be 18 months. Is it not 18 months? Thats the answer that we got, and thats what were all hanging on," the homeowner said. Bass responded with a vague "Yes," prompting the homeowner to press further, "If youre telling us now, faster, is it six months? I mean, all of our lives, rents, all this stuff is weighing on this." Trump interjected, "Six months is no good."
Trump's criticism of the city's response was not limited to the delays. He also criticized the city's plan to hire contractors to clear debris, arguing that homeowners were willing and able to do it themselves. "You should let them do it because by the time you hire contractors, its going to be two years," Trump said. He further emphasized that Bass had the power to expedite the process, "You have emergency powers just like I do, and Im exercising my emergency powers. You have to exercise them also."
Despite Bass's reassurances that residents would be able to return to their properties soon, Trump remained critical, "Thats a long time, a week. Ill be honest. To me, everyones standing in front of their house, they want to go to work and theyre not allowed to do it. A week is a long time." He further argued that the current situation was not safe for residents, "Theyre safe. You know what theyre not safe? Theyre not safe now. Theyre going to be much safer. A week is actually a long time the way I look at it."
Trump's visit to Los Angeles and his confrontation with Mayor Bass highlighted the disconnect between the city's public assurances and the reality faced by residents. His criticism of the city's response, particularly the delays in allowing residents to return to their properties and begin rebuilding, reflects the frustration felt by many in the community. Despite Bass's reassurances, it remains to be seen how quickly the city will be able to expedite the recovery process and allow residents to return to their homes.
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