President Donald Trump has ignited a fresh political firestorm in California, signing a sweeping executive order to "cut the red tape" for rebuilding homes destroyed in the catastrophic 2025 Los Angeles wildfires. The move, framed as a humanitarian intervention, attempts to bypass state and local building permits, triggering a fierce clash with Governor Gavin Newsom and LA Mayor Karen Bass.

The executive order directs federal agencies like FEMA to allow builders to "self-certify" safety standards, effectively overriding California’s stringent environmental and zoning laws. "We are not going to let bureaucrats stand in the way of American families getting their roofs back," Trump declared. "California is broken. We are fixing it." The order targets the tens of thousands of homes reduced to ash in the inferno that ravaged the LA basin just a year ago.

"A Political Stunt"

Local leaders have slammed the move as illegal and dangerous. Mayor Karen Bass dismissed the order as a "political stunt" designed to score points rather than solve problems. "You cannot build a house on a landslide zone just because the President signed a piece of paper," she argued. Critics warn that "self-certification" is a recipe for disaster, potentially allowing developers to cut corners on fire-safety standards that are crucial in a region prone to perennial blazes.

Governor Gavin Newsom was even more scathing. "An executive order to rebuild Mars would be just as useful," he tweeted. The state government argues that federal authority does not extend to local zoning, and any attempt to enforce the order will be met with immediate lawsuits. Newsom pointed out that the real bottleneck is not permits, but the lack of federal disaster aid—$33.9 billion (KES 4.3 trillion) requested by California that the Trump administration has yet to release.

• The Insurance Crisis: The real crisis for fire victims is insurance, not permits. Major insurers have fled California, leaving homeowners with no coverage or unaffordable premiums. Trump’s order does nothing to address the "uninsurable" nature of the fire zones.
• The Precedent: Legal experts see this as a test case for Trump’s second-term agenda to dismantle the "administrative state." If he can override local zoning in California, he can do it anywhere. It is a direct challenge to the concept of federalism.

Desperation in the Ashes

For the victims living in trailers or temporary housing, the political squabble is agonizing. Many welcome any attempt to speed up the process, regardless of the legalities. "I dont care who signs the paper," said one displaced resident in Malibu. "I just want to go home."

However, the reality is likely to be a legal quagmire. Instead of hammers swinging, the next few months will likely see gavels banging in courtrooms as California sues to stop the order. In the end, the "speed up" might result in a total standstill, leaving the wildfire victims caught in the crossfire of a brutal Washington-Sacramento war.

“Please actually help us,” Newsom pleaded. “We are begging you.” But in the polarized landscape of 2026, help comes with heavy political strings attached.