Trump Orders Takeover of L.A. Fire Rebuild From California Officials

President Donald Trump has directed the federal government to take control of the post-fire rebuilding process in Los Angeles in an effort to expedite permitting and building.

The president issued an executive order for his administration to take over the rebuilding of homes and other buildings destroyed in the devastating wildfires in January 2025, which caused an estimated $100 billion-plus in economic and property losses. The order, “addressing state and local failures to rebuild,” also directs federal officials to create new regulations to allow builders to certify to a federal agency. 

“I want to see if we can take over the city and state, and just give the people their permits they want to build,” Trump told the California Post, which first reported the executive order.

Per the order, U.S. Secretary of Homeland Security Kristi Noem in 30 days will release proposed regulation changes to preempt local and state permitting rules, with final regulations set to be announced within 90 days.

The Palisades and Eaton fires last year destroyed roughly 16,000 structures in the Pacific Palisades and Malibu, and throughout Altadena in the San Gabriel Valley. Nearly 3,000 permits to rebuild have been approved by the affected jurisdictions out of 6,810 filed applications, according to the state’s tracking dashboard. Eight residential rebuilds have been completed, according to the L.A. County data.

The Trump Administration estimates fewer than 15 percent of all homes destroyed by the fires have received approvals to rebuild. Trump and the executive order largely blame California Gov. Gavin Newsom and L.A. Mayor Karen Bass for the lack of speedier production.

“[The 2025 wildfires] marked one of the greatest failures of elected political leadership in American history, from enabling the wildfires to failing to manage them, and it continues today with the abject failure to rebuild,” the order reads.

Newsom and the governor’s office on Tuesday said via their X accounts that permitting timelines are at least two-times faster than before the fires.

“An executive order to rebuild Mars would be just as useful,” one post read. “The Feds need to release funding, not take over local permit approval speed — the main obstacle is communities not having the money to rebuild.

“Mr. President, please actually help us. We are begging you.”

Newsom and other state lawmakers asked the federal government for nearly $34 billion in disaster assistance funding, but Congress tabled the request.

“Release the federal disaster aid you’re withholding that will help communities rebuild their homes, schools, parks, and infrastructure,” the social media post continued.

Gregory Cornfield can be reached at gcornfield@commercialobserver.com.