Executive order raises questions about legal authority and local control.
Federal agencies are being ordered to take a more direct role in post-wildfire rebuilding in Southern California under an executive order President Trump signed last Friday and announced publicly on Tuesday.
The order directs the Federal Emergency Management Agency and the Small Business Administration to establish regulations allowing builders who receive federal disaster funds to proceed without obtaining traditional state or local permits, provided they certify compliance with health, safety, and building standards. The administration says the move is intended to speed reconstruction following the 2025 Palisades and Eaton fires.
Under the directive, FEMA and the SBA are instructed to implement a self-certification process in which builders attest that projects meet applicable standards, rather than awaiting approval from city or county agencies. The order seeks to bypass permitting processes that typically fall under state and local jurisdiction. However, it does not specify how conflicts with local building codes would be resolved if a builder does not comply with local or state law.
The order does not cite specific statutory provisions granting FEMA or the SBA that power, and it remains unclear how the policy would withstand potential legal challenges. Trump has not responded to California’s request for $33.9 billion in disaster aid, which Governor Newsom says is the real barrier to rebuilding.
Trump criticized California and local governments for what he described as slow progress in helping residents rebuild after the fires, which killed 31 people and destroyed roughly 13,000 residential properties.
Trump’s press office issued a statement to CBS LA News, which referred to the Governor as “Newscum”, and said, “Under his watch, only eight of the 6,500 homes destroyed in L.A. County have been rebuilt, permitting approvals everywhere are moving at a snail’s pace, and Newscum is sitting on billions in unspent federal dollars for disaster prevention. Newscum doesn’t need more money, Californians need relief. Here’s the truth: by obligating billions of dollars in disaster relief funding, leading the fastest debris removal operation in U.S. history, and now expediting the rebuild process, President Trump has done more for the California wildfire victims than Newscum ever has.”
Governor Newsom’s office posted a response on social media, which said, “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. Release the federal disaster aid you’re withholding that will help communities rebuild their homes, schools, parks, and infrastructure.” Newsom’s spokesperson added that Trump is a “clueless idiot who believes that the state and federal governments can issue local rebuilding permits. Trump has demonstrated a complete lack of leadership or compassion for this community, visiting the Palisades once and completely ignoring Altadena…”
The directive also instructs Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem to conduct an audit of California’s use of federal hazard mitigation funds, with findings due within 60 days.
The permitting dashboard for LA County, the City of Los Angeles, and the City of Malibu is available here.
