Good morning and welcome to the essential California newsletter. the Sunday. I’m your host, Andrew J. Campa. Here’s what you need to know to start your weekend:

Democrats meet with Trump in Pacific Grape as fires rage

Before I get into it, here is La Times live coverage of these ongoing fires.

The blockade was hard to miss if you tried to drive through the Pacific Palisades on Friday.

They were introduced as President Trump was chauffeured around charred hillsides and toured neighborhoods reduced to rubble before speaking at the local fire department.

Trump also met with California Governor Gavin Newsom, Adam Schiffsen., Alex Padilla, La. Mayor Karen Bass, and other prominent national and local Democratic politicians throughout the brief visit.

Democrats and presidents have had good Fridays, sometimes for years, about talking about fire recovery aid.

The issue goes far beyond personal feelings. California will need billions in federal aid to rebuild, and local and state entities are banking on massive reimbursements for their expenses.

Their friendly overtures marked a dramatic reversal from eight years ago, when the party gained “resistance” to Trump’s conservative leadership that widened the political divide across the country. With wildfires raging, working peacefully with the president may boost their political standing.

My colleagues Julia Wick and Taryn Luna provided analysis as the diplomacy surrounding federal aid was on display, focusing on Newsom, Bass, and Trump.

Newsom and Trump meet at Lax

Trump shared a warm hug with Newsom and appeared to pledge his support to Los Angeles.

The president thanked Newsom, whom he says has often publicly ridden with “Newscam,” greeted him on the tarmac and promised to help “fix” the damage to a fire-scarred nation. he said.

“We’re going to need a lot of federal help,” Newsom told the president, patting Trump on the shoulder of his Navy suit jacket before vowing to “take care of things.” I assured you that it was.

The interaction, which marked the first time the two leaders spoke in person since 2020, was relatively brief.

what issue are they sparring over

The comments to Newsom about Tarmac came hours after Trump was singing a very different tune. Earlier in the day, he told reporters in North Carolina that aid to the state would require a number of conditions, including the adoption of voter identification laws. Newsom sharply criticized the concept of federal aid hinged on state policy changes in the days before the president’s arrival.

Trump has also repeatedly accused Newsom of veggies, saying the governor is to blame for a dry fire hydrant in the Palisade fire.

After leaving the governor’s office on Friday, Trump focused on the state’s water supply, announcing he was signing executive orders “to open pumps and valves in the North,” adding, “I want to get water into Southern California right away.” I said, “As much as possible.”

Local water systems had been pushed to their limits during the fires, and the large Pacific Palisades reservoir was off the commission, sparking state and local scrutiny. But experts have debunked Trump’s claims about Southern California’s broader water shortages.

How the bass handled Trump’s visit

Newsom was not invited to a freewheeling wildfire briefing at the fire station that the president attended along with Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass, Los Angeles County Supervisor Kathryn Berger, and a host of Democrats and Republicans in Congress.

Bass adopts a more measured and conciliatory tone.

While Newsom had largely criticized a lack of communication with the incoming administration, Bass said he had “great calls” with Trump’s staff and touted his good relationship with former legislative colleagues who are close to the new president. Ta.

Part of this is deeply ingrained style. The former six-term lawmaker is an obviously idiotic politician who wields her power cautiously. Quiet bearing has been a topic of criticism during this crisis, when many Angelenos seemed to be yearning for louder, more forceful leadership.

But that same low-key Mayen, unlike Newsom’s Flash, deals with an unstable president who needs to not only rebuild the city, but also prepare for some high-profile, resource-intensive events on the horizon. You can also choose a suitable base for it. .

Los Angeles is scheduled to host the FIFA World Cup in 2026, the Super Bowl in 2027, and the Summer Olympics in 2028.

To learn more about the analysis, read the full article here.

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column 1

Column 1 is the Times’ home for stories and long-term journalism. Here are this week’s great pieces:

Mami woke up on Wednesday morning to find herself standing outside her bedroom door holding a burnt piece of paper.. “This was in the garden by the tomatoes,” she explains, still in her bathrobe. I looked at the paper skeptically. Announcement of devastation from flames burning 10 miles away. Brought to our little silver lake garden by a violent wind. The day before, Mami announced that her family, who had worked together for 36 years, had evacuated their Pacific Palisades home.

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Fourteen months after her husband died, she asked for a sign from the grave. She was lonely but overwhelmed raising two teenage daughters. She just wanted to be with him. When she got home, she heard from the driver next to her on a heavily trafficked highway, “Are you married?” She gave him her number and he immediately texted her back. I sent you. She had never been picked up on the highway before. Was this romance set for the HOV lane or was it fast tracked due to heartbreak?

Have a great weekend from the Essential California team

Andrew J. Campa, Reporter
Carlos Lozano, News Editor

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