As Los Angeles Wildfires Rage, Trump Focuses on FEMA Administrator Pick

Los Angeles: The wildfires in Los Angeles are really intense right now. Governor Gavin Newsom is saying this could be one of the worst disasters ever.

With all this chaos, Trump still hasn’t named a FEMA administrator, which is a big deal during a crisis like this. Instead of focusing on the fires, he’s been pointing fingers at Newsom and other Democrats.

But it looks like he’s got a frontrunner for the FEMA job: Kevin Guthrie, who runs Florida’s emergency management. He’s been through some serious hurricanes and has a solid reputation.

Guthrie has been in emergency management for over 30 years. He was appointed by former Governor Rick Scott and has been leading Florida’s response to disasters since 2021.

Trump’s team started looking at Guthrie last week, and folks in Florida think he’s the one for the job. A Florida Republican said, “It’s going to be Kevin, I believe.”

People are saying he’s a great choice because he’s not political and just gets things done. He’s been through tough storms and knows how to handle emergencies.

While Florida deals with fires too, they’re not as bad as what’s happening in California right now. Last year, Florida had some wildfires, but nothing like the devastation in L.A.

The wildfires in L.A. have been fueled by strong winds and dry conditions. As of now, 24 people have died, and thousands of buildings have been destroyed. Evacuations are still in effect.

During this transition period, FEMA has career staff who will step in until a new administrator is confirmed. Tony Robinson will be the acting FEMA head until Trump’s pick is in place.

Trump hasn’t shared his plans for handling the wildfires yet. He’s been talking with Republicans about tying wildfire aid to raising the debt ceiling, which has raised some eyebrows.

Lori Lodes from Climate Power is worried about Trump using this disaster for political gain. She said he could help people right now but might choose to make it a bargaining chip instead.

In a recent interview, Trump described the damage as worse than a nuclear attack, saying he’s never seen anything like it. He’s been invited by Newsom to see the damage firsthand, but it’s unclear if he’ll go before or after his inauguration.

Newsom has criticized Trump for spreading misinformation about the fires. Trump has been blaming Biden and Newsom without knowing the full story behind the fires.

Newsom is focused on helping people and making sure firefighters have what they need. He’s expressed hope that he can work with Trump, praising Biden for his quick response to the wildfires.