Housing, Community – The Tarbabys Blog

Trump’s track record of disaster misinformation as he casts blame over California wildfires

ABC News

Trump’s track record of disaster misinformation as he casts blame over California wildfires

LaLee Ibssa – January 11, 2025

As deadly wildfires burn through Southern California, President-elect Donald Trump has spent the week attacking Democratic officials and continuing a pattern of spreading misinformation about natural disasters.

“I think that Gavin is largely incompetent, and I think the mayor is largely incompetent, and probably both of them are just stone-cold incompetent,” Trump said of California Gov. Gavin Newsom on Thursday night while hosting Republican governors at Mar-a-Lago in Florida.

Since the fires broke out, Newsom, Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass and President Joe Biden have faced criticism over a lack of preparedness, budget cuts to the fire department and a lack of water to fight the fires. Trump has pointed fingers at all three, spreading false claims about California’s water policy and federal assistance.

MORE: Trump keeps saying send water from the north to LA fires, but officials say that’s not the problem

For example, Trump blamed Biden as he falsely claimed that the Federal Emergency Management Agency had “no money” to help California despite Congress recently passing a disaster relief supplemental totaling $29 billion.

PHOTO: President-elect Donald Trump speaks during a meeting with Republican governors at Mar-a-Lago, Jan. 9, 2025, in Palm Beach, Fla. (Evan Vucci/AP)

The president-elect also pushed exaggerated claims as he accused Newsom of refusing to sign a “water restoration declaration,” saying he instead diverted water resources in order to protect the endangered Sacramento-San Joaquin River Delta’s smelt fish.

“He wanted to protect an essentially worthless fish called a smelt, by giving it less water (it didn’t work!), but didn’t care about the people of California,” Trump posted on Truth Social.

While there are regulations that limit the amount of water pumped from the Sacramento-San Joaquin River Delta to protect the species, the governor’s office said there was no such declaration, calling the accusation “pure fiction.”

Newsom said he has not heard from Trump since the fires broke out, but the president-elect’s rhetoric isn’t helping.

“I don’t know what he’s referring to when he talks about the Delta smelt in reservoirs. The reservoirs are completely full, the state reservoirs here in Southern California,” he said. “That mis- and disinformation I don’t think advantages or aids any of us,” Newsom said Sunday on NBC’s “Meet the Press.”

Newsom said that Trump has not called him since the fires, or since the elections. When asked whether Newsom was worried that aid would be held back, Newsom said he was. He added that he hopes he can have the “same relationship and that same spirit” with Trump as he did with Biden.

“Well, I mean, he’s done it in Utah. He’s done it in Michigan, did it in Puerto Rico. He did it to California back before I was even governor in 2018, until he found out folks in Orange County voted for him and then he decided to give the money. So he’s been at this for years and years and years. It transcends the states, including, by the way, Georgia he threatened similarly. So that’s his style. And we take it seriously to the extent that in the past it’s taken a little bit more time,” Newsom said on NBC.

Biden and other emergency officials have also rejected Trump’s claims, maintaining the fire was caused by fierce winds and extremely dry conditions and that the initial water shortage occurred due to power being shut off in order to avoid sparking additional fires.

Still, Trump has long pushed these claims, suggesting while on the campaign trail that he’d withhold aid for California if Newsom didn’t reinstate Trump’s policies.

PHOTO: The devastation of the Palisades Fire is seen in the early morning in the Pacific Palisades neighborhood of Los Angeles, Jan. 10, 2025. (John Locher/AP)

Trump’s administration in his first term signed a memorandum that redirected millions of gallons of water to farmers living in the Central Valley and Southern California, pumping it out of the Sacramento-San Joaquin River Delta.

“The water coming here is dead. And Gavin Newsom is going to sign those papers, and if he doesn’t sign those papers, we won’t give him money to put out all his fires, and we don’t give him the money to put out his fires. He’s got problems,” Trump said at a press conference at his Los Angeles golf course in September.

After a closed-door meeting with Senate Republicans at the Capitol on Wednesday, Trump continued to criticize Newsom’s handling of the wildfires while ultimately asserting that the two would need to work together.

“So, what’s happened is a tragedy, and the governor has not done a good job,” Trump told ABC News’ Senior Congressional Correspondent Rachel Scott.

“With that being said, I got along well with him — when he was governor, we worked together very well, and we would work together,” Trump said. “I guess it looks like we’re going to be the one having to rebuild it.”

It isn’t the first time Trump has gone after emergency officials in the wake of disasters. When hurricanes caused devastation in parts of Georgia and North Carolina last year, Trump quickly pivoted his campaign schedule to focus on those areas.

During those visits, Trump repeatedly spread misinformation about FEMA’s response, incorrectly casting blame on federal officials in the Biden administration and falsely claiming that the administration had drained funds from FEMA to house illegal migrants.

“They got hit with a very bad hurricane, especially North Carolina and parts of Georgia. But North Carolina really got hit. I’ll tell you what, those people should never vote for a Democrat, because they held back aid,” Trump claimed in an October interview.

Local and federal officials warned Trump about how his politically motivated rhetoric could be causing harm as the areas hit attempted to rebuild; however, the president-elect often refused to backtrack.

While visiting Asheville, North Carolina, Trump refused to address threats of violence against FEMA workers, instead saying, “I think you have to let people know how they’re doing. If they were doing a great job, I think we should say that, too, because I think they should be rewarded. But if they’re not doing — does that mean that if they’re doing a poor job, we’re supposed to not say it?”

MORE: Biden says federal government to cover 100% of costs for initial LA fire recovery

Even while in office, Trump received pushback at times for peddling misinformation.

PHOTO: Donald Trump, listens to a question as he visits Chez What Furniture Store which was damaged during Hurricane Helene on September 30, 2024 in Valdosta, Georgia. (Michael M. Santiago/Getty Images)More

In 2019, Trump claimed that Alabama was in the path of Hurricane Dorian, causing the National Weather Service to issue a public service announcement refuting Trump’s claims. Then, that same year, when senators first failed to pass disaster relief aid to hurricane victims in Puerto Rico, Trump blamed local leaders as he spread false claims, saying repeatedly that Puerto Rico had received “more money than has ever been gotten for a hurricane before.”

MORE: FEMA assistance available for those affected by Los Angeles fires

“The people of Puerto Rico are GREAT, but the politicians are incompetent or corrupt,” Trump posted at the time.

Republican governors came to Trump’s defense on Thursday night, touting his leadership skills as president during disasters.

“You could criticize the president-elect, but I think you also have to hold these other people accountable,” Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis told reporters at Mar-a-Lago.

“I worked well with Biden during his time at natural disasters, but I work well with Donald Trump, so I’m very confident as a state that knows we face these that a Trump administration is going to be very strong and is going to be there for the people, regardless of party,” DeSantis added.

Despite Trump’s harsh words, Los Angeles officials say they haven’t heard from the president-elect directly but have been in touch with members of his team and they expect Trump to visit the area after sending him an invitation on Saturday.

Gov. Gavin Newsom slams Trump’s disinformation about California wildfires

NBC News

Gov. Gavin Newsom slams Trump’s disinformation about California wildfires

Alexandra Marquez – January 12, 2025

California Gov. Gavin Newsom blasted President-elect Donald Trump’s response to the California wildfires in an interview on NBC News’ “Meet the Press” recorded Saturday, saying, “Mis- and disinformation I don’t think advantages or aids any of us.”

Newsom appeared to be referring to Trump ’s posts on Truth Social blasting Newsom, President Joe Biden and Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass since the fires broke out Tuesday.

In one post, the president-elect baselessly claimed Newsom had blocked a measure that would have allowed water to flow from Northern California to Southern California.

Image: Powerful Winds Fuel Multiple Fires Across Los Angeles Area gavin newsom (Eric Thayer / Getty Images) — California Gov. Gavin Newsom, right, tours the downtown business district of Pacific Palisades as the Palisades Fire continues to burn in Los Angeles on Wednesday.

“Governor Gavin Newscum refused to sign the water restoration declaration put before him that would have allowed millions of gallons of water, from excess rain and snow melt from the North, to flow daily into many parts of California, including the areas that are currently burning in a virtually apocalyptic way,” Trump wrote, using an insulting nickname for Newsom.Advertisement

In that post, Trump added that Newsom “wanted to protect an essentially worthless fish called a smelt, by giving it less water (it didn’t work!)” and “he is the blame for this.”

“Responding to Donald Trump’s insults, we would spend another month,” Newsom told NBC News’ Jacob Soboroff. “I’m very familiar with them. Every elected official that he disagrees with is very familiar with them.”

He added that Trump was “somehow connecting the delta smelt to this fire, which is inexcusable because it’s inaccurate. Also, incomprehensible to anyone that understands water policy in the state.”

In another post, Trump wrote, “NO WATER IN THE FIRE HYDRANTS, NO MONEY IN FEMA. THIS IS WHAT JOE BIDEN IS LEAVING ME. THANKS JOE!” and appeared to falsely claim, as he did last year in the aftermath of several hurricanes, that money had been drained from the Federal Emergency Management Agency, or FEMA.

At least 16 people have died in devastating wildfires across the greater Los Angeles area.

On Friday, Newsom wrote a letter to Trump inviting him to come to his state and tour the destruction.

“I invite you to come to California again — to meet with the Americans affected by these fires, see the devastation firsthand, and join me and others in thanking the heroic firefighters and first responders who are putting their lives on the line,” the governor wrote.

Newsom told Soboroff on Saturday that he had not received a response to the letter.

He added that he’s worried the president-elect may make good on his threats to withhold disaster aid from the state after his inauguration.

Newsom cited Trump’s past efforts to withhold federal disaster aid from states with leaders he was feuding with.

“He’s done it in Utah. He’s done it in Michigan, did it in Puerto Rico. He did it to California back before I was even governor, in 2018,” Newsom said.

“So he’s been at this for years and years and years. It transcends the states, including, by the way, Georgia he threatened similarly. So that’s his style. And we take it seriously to the extent that in the past it’s taken a little bit more time [to get federal aid],” the governor added.

‘Apocalyptic’: ghastly remains of Malibu come into focus

Andrew Marszal – January 10, 2025

Multi-million dollar mansions in Malibu have vanished entirely, seemingly swept into the Pacific ocean by the force of the Palisades Fire (JOSH EDELSON)JOSH EDELSON/AFP/AFPMore

Flying south through smoky skies down the famous Malibu coast, at first the burnt-out mansions are the exception — solitary wrecks, smoldering away between rows of intact, gleaming beachfront villas.

But draw closer to Pacific Palisades, the ground zero of Los Angeles’s devastating fires, and those small scorched ruins become sporadic clusters, and then endless rows of charred, crumpled homes.

From the air, the extent of the devastation wrought by the Palisades Fire on these two neighborhoods is starting to come into focus: whole streets in ruins, the remains of once-fabulous houses now nothing but ash and memories.

Access to this area of utter devastation has been largely closed to the public and even to evacuated residents since the fire began Tuesday.

The biggest among multiple blazes covering Los Angeles, the inferno has now ripped through over 19,000 acres (7,700 hectares) of Pacific Palisades and Malibu.

A preliminary estimate of destroyed structures was “in the thousands,” city fire chief Kristin Crowley told Thursday’s conference.

There have been at least two separate reports of human remains found in this fire alone, though officials have yet to confirm the fatal toll.

“It is safe to say that the Palisades Fire is one of the most destructive natural disasters in the history of Los Angeles,” said Crowley.

For AFP reporters surveying the scenes from a helicopter Thursday, it was hard to argue with that view.

On some of these highly coveted Malibu oceanfront plots, beloved by celebrities, skeletal frames of buildings indicated the lavish scale of what has been destroyed.

Other multi-million dollar mansions have vanished entirely, seemingly swept into the Pacific Ocean by the force of the Palisades Fire.

And looming above Malibu, a thin sliver of luxurious waterfront property, is Pacific Palisades itself — an affluent plateau of expensive real estate, now deserted.

Not the entire hilltop is blackened. Several grand homes stand unscathed. Some streets have been spared entirely.

Lack of water is hampering LA fire battle. Why not use ocean water to fight fires?

USA TODAY

But toward the southern end of the Palisades, grids of roads that were until Tuesday lined with stunning homes now resemble makeshift cemeteries.

Where row upon row of family homes once stood, all that remain are occasional chimneys, blackened tree stumps and charred timber.

At a press conference on Thursday, Los Angeles district attorney Nathan Hochman described walking through Pacific Palisades to the remains of his sister’s home as “apocalyptic.”

“Not since the 1990s when Los Angeles was hit with the fires, the flood, the earthquake and the riots, have I seen such disaster occur here in our city,” he said.

“This is crazy,” agreed Albert Azouz, a helicopter pilot who has flown these skies for almost a decade, observing the destruction from above on Thursday.

“All these homes, gone.”

At least 10 dead, 180,000 forced to flee their homes as L.A. wildfires rage

MSNBC

At least 10 dead, 180,000 forced to flee their homes as L.A. wildfires rage

Clarissa-Jan Lim – January 10, 2025

Aaron Lubeley hugs a family member and cries while viewing the remains of his home burned in the Eaton fire in the Altadena area of Los Angeles county on Jan. 9, 2025.

Yahoo is using AI to generate takeaways from this article. This means the info may not always match what’s in the article. Reporting mistakes helps us improve the experience.Generate Key Takeaways

At least 10 people have died and 180,000 residents have been forced to evacuate as devastating wildfires continue to scorch the Los Angeles area for a fourth day.

A series of wildfires have sparked since Tuesday because of extreme dry conditions and powerful Santa Ana winds. Three of the biggest blazes — the Palisades Fire, the Eaton Fire and the Hurst Fire — have destroyed a total of 33,700 acres, according to the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection (Cal Fire).

Officials have said the true death toll remains unknown, as the L.A. County medical examiner’s office said Thursday night that at least 10 people have died in the fires.

Here are the latest numbers from Cal Fire:

The Palisades Fire has consumed more than 20,000 acres and damaged almost 5,300 structures, L.A. officials said in updates Thursday evening. It is 8% contained. City Fire Chief Kristin M. Crowley has called it “one of the most destructive fires in the history of Los Angeles.”
The Eaton Fire has burned through 13,690 acres and is 3% contained. L.A. County Fire Chief Deputy Jon O’Brien said more than 5,000 structures are estimated to have been destroyed.
The Hurst Fire has destroyed 771 acres and is 37% contained.
Further north, the Lidia Fire, near Acton, has swept through 394 acres and is 75% contained.
The Kenneth Fire, which began Thursday afternoon in the Woodland Hills area near Calabasas, has burned through 960 acres so far. It is 35% contained.

Several emergency alerts were mistakenly sent to millions of L.A. residents who were far from where the wildfires were burning, setting off panic.

The National Weather Service has said that critical fire weather conditions will continue through Friday morning. The Santa Ana winds is expected to recede later Friday and into Saturday and to pick back up on Sunday through mid-week.

Los Angeles wildfires in photos: Multiple blazes rage across the city, leaving a path of destruction

Yahoo! News

Los Angeles wildfires in photos: Multiple blazes rage across the city, leaving a path of destruction

Images from the ground show strong Santa Ana winds driving the blazes as firefighters try to battle the flames.

Yahoo News Photo Staff, Kate Murphy – January 9, 2025

Seen from behind, two people embrace while facing fire-destroyed buildings and landscape. — Megan Mantia and her boyfriend Thomas return to Mantia’s fire-damaged home after the Eaton Fire swept through the area, Wednesday in Altadena, Calif. (Ethan Swope/AP)

Five wildfires fueled by ferocious winds were scorching thousands of acres in Southern California on Thursday. At least five people were reported dead in Los Angeles County and around 130,000 people are under evacuation orders.

According to the latest figures from the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection, the Palisades Fire has reached over 17,200; the Eaton Fire in the Pasadena area has covered 10,600 acres; the Hurst Fire, over 855 acres; the Lidia Fire, 348 acres; and the Sunset Fire, burning through the Hollywood Hills, is around 43 acres.

California Gov. Gavin Newsom declared a state of emergency on Tuesday after the Palisades Fire started that morning in the hills north of Malibu. Photos below show flames from the wildfires engulfing homes, residents evacuating and firefighters working to battle the blazes as strong Santa Ana winds complicate their efforts.

The sun is seen behind smoke above charred structures and vehicles. — The sun is seen behind smoke above charred structures and vehicles after the passage of the Palisades Fire in Pacific Palisades, Calif., on Wednesday. (Agustin Paullier/AFP via Getty Images)

A man stands in the street holding a facemask to his face in front of a fire-ravaged business. — A man walks past a fire-ravaged business after the Eaton Fire swept through Wednesday, in Altadena, Calif. (Ethan Swope/AP)

A home burns beyond the silhouette of five palm trees. — A home burns during the Palisades Fire in Pacific Palisades, Calif., on Wednesday. (Agustin Paullier/AFP via Getty Images)

Melted lawn chairs are seen near the remains of a burnt home. — Melted lawn chairs are seen near the remains of a burnt home after the passage of the Palisades Fire in Pacific Palisades, on Wednesday. (Agustin Paullier/AFP via Getty Images)

A man wearing a red long-sleeve shirt and shorts walks in front of a burning church. — A man walks in front of the burning Altadena Community Church, Wednesday, in the downtown Altadena section of Pasadena, Calif. (Chris Pizzello/AP)

A person stands at a flagpole outside a burning house. — A person lowers a flag from the flagpole outside his burning cousin’s house as powerful winds fueling devastating wildfires in the Los Angeles area force people to evacuate, at the Eaton Fire in Altadena, Calif., Wednesday. (David Swanson/Reuters)More

Fire burning a large home. — The Palisades Fire burns in Los Angeles. (Eugene Garcia/AP)

Fire ravaged businesses. — Fire-ravaged businesses are seen in the Pacific Palisades neighborhood of Los Angeles on Jan. 8. (Eugene Garcia/AP)

The Palisades Fire ravages a neighborhood amid high winds in the Pacific Palisades neighborhood of Los Angeles, Wednesday, Jan. 8, 2025. (Damian Dovarganes/AP)

The Palisades Fire ravages a neighborhood amid high winds in the Pacific Palisades. (Damian Dovarganes/AP)

A vehicle and other structures are burned as the Palisades Fire ravages a neighborhood amid high winds in the Pacific Palisades. (Damian Dovarganes/AP)

A statue and other structures are burned as the Palisades Fire ravages a neighborhood amid high winds in the Pacific Palisades. (Damian Dovarganes/AP)

Scenes from Tuesday night

Fire personnel on Tuesday try to prevent the Palisades Fire from destroying other nearby homes while a helicopter drops water on the area. — Fire personnel on Tuesday try to keep the Palisades Fire from destroying other nearby homes while a helicopter drops water on the area. (David Swanson/AFP via Getty Images)

Palm trees and debris being blown around amid high winds as a wildfire engulfs the area. — The Palisades Fire ravages an L.A. neighborhood amid high winds on Tuesday. (Ethan Swope/AP)

Firefighters holding large hoses shoot water at the flames as a fire destroys a performing arts theater. — Firefighters battling a blaze ripping through the Theatre Palisades amid a powerful windstorm on Tuesday. (Apu Gomes/Getty Images)

An American flag can be seen outside a structure engulfed by flames amid a windstorm. — A fire engulfs a structure on the west side of Los Angeles on Tuesday. (Ringo Chiu/Reuters)

A fire truck races through a Los Angeles neighborhood on Tuesday amid intense embers that are being fanned around by a windstorm. — A fire truck races through a Los Angeles neighborhood on Tuesday. (Kyle Grillot/Bloomberg via Getty Images)

People help to evacuate senior center residents in wheelchairs in Altadena, Calif. — Residents of a senior center in Altadena, Calif., are evacuated on Tuesday as the Eaton Fire approaches. (Ethan Swope/AP)

Embers blow all around, and heavy smoke can be seen in the distance as firefighters battle a growing blaze. — Firefighters battle the Palisades Fire during a windstorm on the west side of Los Angeles on Tuesday. (Ringo Chiu/Reuters)

A firefighter running with a hose battles a fire as it burns a structure in the Pacific Palisades neighborhood of Los Angeles. — A firefighter battles a fire as it burns a structure in the Pacific Palisades neighborhood of Los Angeles on Tuesday. (Ethan Swope/AP)

A Christmas tree can be seen burning inside a residence engulfed by flames. — A Christmas tree can be seen burning inside a residence in the Pacific Palisades neighborhood of Los Angeles engulfed by flames on Tuesday. (Ethan Swope/AP)

Firefighters battle a wildfire as it burns multiple structures in the Pacific Palisades neighborhood of Los Angeles on Tuesday. (Ethan Swope/AP)

The Eaton Fire burns a residence on Wednesday in Altadena, Calif. (Ethan Swope/AP)

Firefighters work to extinguish flames as the Eaton Fire burns a McDonald's location in Pasadena, Calif. — Firefighters work to extinguish flames as the Eaton Fire burns a McDonald’s location in Pasadena, Calif., on Tuesday. (Mario Anzuoni/Reuters)

A firefighter walks by a home engulfed by the Palisades Fire amid a powerful windstorm. — A firefighter walks by a home engulfed by the Palisades Fire amid a powerful windstorm on Tuesday. (Apu Gomes/Getty Images)

Flames from the Eaton Fire destroy a structure in Pasadena, Calif., on Tuesday. (Mario Anzuoni/Reuters)

Fire crews battle the Palisades Fire as it spreads through multiple structures in a Los Angeles neighborhood. — Fire crews battle the Palisades Fire as it spreads through multiple structures in a Los Angeles neighborhood on Tuesday. (Ethan Swope/AP)

A structure in Pasadena, Calif., is swallowed up by flames from the Eaton Fire. (Mario Anzuoni/Reuters)

A wildfire destroys a residence in the Pacific Palisades neighborhood of Los Angeles. — A wildfire destroys a residence in the Pacific Palisades neighborhood of Los Angeles on Tuesday. (Ethan Swope/AP)

A tale of two presidents: How L.A. fires show the difference between Biden and Trump

Los Angeles Times

A tale of two presidents: How L.A. fires show the difference between Biden and Trump

Taryn Luna, Liam Dillon, Alex Wigglesworth – January 8, 2025

SANTA MONICA, CA, JANUARY 8, 2025: President of the United States Joe Biden, California Governor Gavin Newsom, and United States Senator Alex Padilla, from left, attend a briefing on the recent fires at Santa Monica Fire Station #5 on Wednesday, January 8, 2025. (Christina House / Los Angeles Times) — President Biden, Gov. Gavin Newsom, middle, and U.S. Sen. Alex Padilla attend a briefing in Santa Monica on the L.A. County fires on Jan. 8, 2025. (Christina House/Los Angeles Times)

As communities across Los Angeles County burned Wednesday in a spate of wildfires, the crisis highlighted the stark difference between the incoming and outgoing presidents and their relationships with California.

President Biden stood next to Gov. Gavin Newsom, a fellow Democrat, at a fire station in Santa Monica and pledged to provide full federal support to the state.

“We’re prepared to do anything and everything for as long as it takes to contain these fires,” Biden said.

Hours earlier, Republican President-elect Donald Trump, just days away from being sworn in on Jan. 20, blamed “Newscum and his Los Angeles crew” for the unfolding calamity.

In a post on his social media site, Truth Social, Trump said the Democratic governor “refused to sign a water restoration declaration,” which he alleged would have allowed millions of gallons of rain and snowmelt to flow south to the areas on fire.

“Now the ultimate price is being paid,” Trump wrote. “I will demand that this incompetent governor allow beautiful, clean, fresh water to FLOW INTO CALIFORNIA!”

The morning missive from the president-elect, as communities burned and thousands of people fled their homes, echoed his prior threats to withhold wildfire funding if Newsom declined to go along with Trump’s water policy for California. Water experts have said, however, that Trump’s water proposals probably will encounter substantial obstacles, and that his claims attempting to link water deliveries to the firefighting response were inaccurate.

Though Newsom praised Trump during his first term for approving federal disaster funding for wildfires, the governor has since said he had to “kiss the ring” to convince Trump to help.

Newsom has commended Biden for not playing political games during disasters.

“It’s impossible for me to express the level of appreciation and cooperation we’ve received from the White House and this administration,” Newsom said in Santa Monica on Wednesday.

California is grateful to @POTUS & his Administration's support fighting the LA wildfires.

🇺🇸 Presidential Major Disaster Declaration
💧 5 @ForestService Large Air Tankers
🚁 10 Federal Helicopters
🚒 Dozens of @ForestService Fire Engines
🧑‍🚒 Backup via @DeptofDefense pic.twitter.com/LLQh7SrMsF
— Governor Newsom (@CAgovernor) January 8, 2025

Presidents have wide discretion when it comes to disaster aid, which could be in jeopardy in the future if Trump follows through with his threats after his inauguration.

California and other states receive most federal wildfire aid through the Federal Emergency Management Agency, including direct payments and services to homeowners and renters whose properties were damaged, and public assistance for things such as search-and-rescue teams, debris removal and infrastructure repair.

States need to show that an incident is of such a severity and magnitude that a response is beyond the state’s capability in order to qualify. The governor must request, and the president must declare, a major disaster and then approve any aid the governor requests.

FEMA decides whether a federal disaster declaration is warranted and issues a recommendation to the president. In the past, presidents have followed that recommendation, but there’s nothing in the law that requires them to do so.

Trump initially refused to approve federal aid to California for wildfires in 2018 until a National Security Council staffer showed him that Orange County had a dense concentration of voters who supported him, according to Politico.

In another example, in 2020, FEMA rejected a request to provide aid to California for a half-dozen wildfires and then reversed course the next day after Republicans made appeals to Trump and the governor and president spoke over the phone.

State Sen. Ben Allen, a Democrat who lives and grew up in Santa Monica, attended Wednesday’s briefing with the president and governor. Allen said it was obvious from Newsom’s remarks since the fires began that the governor was worried about federal support for disasters under the Trump administration. Allen said Biden’s response was remarkably quick and thorough. But he said he couldn’t imagine that Trump would ignore Californians in any time of need.

“I have every expectation that the new administration will assist fellow Americans in moments of vulnerability,” Allen said. “That’s what every White House has done, whether Democrat or Republican, throughout history. There’s no reason why they shouldn’t continue to provide the same level of assistance and service that previous presidents have.”

Despite Trump’s feisty rhetoric, he did travel to California as president to survey fire damage and meet with Newsom. Trump toured Paradise in 2018 in the aftermath of the state’s deadliest wildfire. And he met with Newsom in Sacramento after a spate of wildfires in 2020.

Newsom and Trump traded blows on social media, in the news media and in the courts during the president-elect’s first term, but remained cordial in texts, calls and even in person. But that relationship appears to have soured during Biden’s presidency.

Newsom has said Trump did not return a call he made in November to congratulate the incoming president on winning the election. An aide to Newsom said the two men have still not spoken.

The president-elect continued to blame Newsom on Truth Social for the blazes on Wednesday: “As of this moment, Gavin Newscum and his Los Angeles crew have contained exactly ZERO percent of the fire. It is burning at levels that even surpass last night. This is not government.”

Trump also took shots at Biden.

“NO WATER IN THE FIRE HYDRANTS, NO MONEY IN FEMA,” he posted. “THIS IS WHAT JOE BIDEN IS LEAVING ME. THANKS JOE!”

Peter Gleick, a hydroclimatologist and senior fellow of the Oakland-based Pacific Institute, said Trump’s comments attempting to link California water policy with the water-supply problems facing firefighters in Southern California were “blatantly false, irresponsible and politically self-serving.”

“There is no water shortage in Southern California — the state’s reservoirs are all at, or above, levels normally expected for this time of year. The problem with water supply for the fires is entirely the result of the massive immediate demands for firefighting water, broken or damaged pipes and pumps, and homeowners leaving hoses and sprinklers running in hopes of saving property.”

Staff writer Ian James contributed to this report.

Biden administration finalizes rule to strike medical debt from credit reports

NBC News

Biden administration finalizes rule to strike medical debt from credit reports

Rob Wile – January 7, 2025

The US Consumer Financial Protection Bureau headquarters. (Ting Shen / Bloomberg via Getty Images file) — The Biden administration says people who previously had medical debt on their credit reports could see their credit scores rise by an average of 20 points.

Yahoo is using AI to generate takeaways from this article. This means the info may not always match what’s in the article. Reporting mistakes helps us improve the experience.Generate Key Takeaways

U.S. consumers will no longer have medical debt appear on their credit reports under a new rule the Biden administration finalized Tuesday.

The change, which administration officials had proposed over the summer and is set to take effect in March, means some $49 billion in medical bills will be struck from the credit reports of about 15 million Americans. The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau said lenders would also be prohibited from using medical information in their lending decisions.

“People who get sick shouldn’t have their financial future upended,” CFPB Director Rohit Chopra said in a statement. “The CFPB’s final rule will close a special carveout that has allowed debt collectors to abuse the credit reporting system to coerce people into paying medical bills they may not even owe.”

About 1 in 12 adults in the U.S. had medical debt as of 2021, according to an analysis by KFF, a nonprofit group that researches health policy issues. The CFPB determined that a medical bill on a person’s credit report was a poor predictor of whether they would repay a loan yet contributed to thousands of denied mortgage applications.

The agency expects the rule will lead to the approval of some 22,000 additional mortgages every year, and that Americans with medical debt on their credit reports could see their credit scores rise by an average of 20 points.

The three major U.S. credit bureaus already announced in 2023 that previously paid medical debts, or any medical debts under $500, would no longer appear on credit reports.

The move comes as Biden administration officials race to safeguard aspects of their work weeks before President-elect Donald Trump retakes office. The White House on Monday, for example, announced a ban on new offshore oil and gas drilling along most of the U.S. coastline. When it comes to consumer finance, advocates are preparing for an expected rollback of certain safeguards imposed in the last four years by the CFPB, a high-profile target of some GOP lawmakers and Trump allies including Elon Musk.

How removing unpaid medical bills from credit reports could help consumers

Associated Press

How removing unpaid medical bills from credit reports could help consumers

Cora Lewis – January 7, 2025

FILE – Medical bills are seen in Temple Hills, Md., on June 26, 2023. (AP Photo/Jacquelyn Martin, File)

NEW YORK (AP) — Lenders will no longer be able to consider unpaid medical bills as a credit history factor when they evaluate potential borrowers in the U.S. for mortgages, car loans or business loans, according to a rule the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau finalized Tuesday.

Removing medical debts from consumer credit reports is expected to increase the credit scores of millions of families by an average of 20 points, the bureau said. The CFPB says its research showed that outstanding health care claims are a poor predictor of someone’s ability to repay a loan yet often are used to deny mortgage applications.

The three national credit reporting agencies — Experian, Equifax and TransUnion — said last year that they were removing medical collections under $500 from U.S. consumer credit reports. The government agency’s new rule goes further by banning all outstanding medical bills from appearing on credit reports and prohibiting lenders from using the information.

The rule is set to take effect 60 days after publication in the Federal Register, although President-elect Donald Trump has proposed sweeping changes and limits to the CFPB’s regulatory reach.

Here’s what to know:

How many people will this affect?

The CFPB estimates the rule will remove $49 million in medical debt from the credit reports of 15 million Americans. According to the agency, one in five Americans have at least one medical debt collection account on their credit reports, and over half of collection entries on credit reports are for medical debts.

The problem disproportionately affects people of color, the CFPB has found: 28% of Black people and 22% of Latino people in the U.S. carry medical debt versus 17% of white people. While the national credit reporting agencies voluntarily agreed to disregard medical debt below $500, many consumers have amounts much higher than this threshold on their reports.

What will the impact be for consumers?

The CFPB says its action will give millions of consumers increased access to loans and lead to the approval of approximately 22,000 additional mortgages a year. Americans with outstanding medical bills may see their credit scores rise by an average of 20 points, according to the bureau.

The rule was also drafted to increase privacy protections and to help keep debt collectors from using the credit reporting system to coerce people into paying bills they don’t owe. The CFPB has found that consumers frequently receive inaccurate bills or are asked to pay bills that should have been covered by insurance or financial assistance programs.

What’s more, lenders will be barred from using information about medical devices, such as prosthetic limbs, to make them serve as collateral for a loan and subject to repossession, according to the CFPB’s announcement.

How are advocates responding?

Nonprofits in the healthcare space are pleased.

“This decision is great news for everyday Americans,” said Carrie Joy Grimes, founder of personal finance organization WorkMoney. “Medical debt is not a reflection of being bad with money — any one of us can experience illness or injury. With this new rule, Americans will now be able to focus less on the strain of medical debt and more on getting back on their feet.”

Patricia Kelmar, health care campaigns director for the U.S. Public Interest Research Group, said the rule would help “many financially responsible families who have accumulated medical debt from unpredictable health issues, high out-of-pocket costs, insurance claim denials and billing errors.”

What should you do after receiving an unexpectedly high medical bill?

While high medical bills are common in the US, including for individuals and households with insurance, there are ways to get relief.

First, determine whether you qualify for charity care. Federal law requires nonprofit hospitals to lower or write off bills for individuals depending on household income. To determine if you qualify, do an internet search for the hospital or health care provider along with the phrase “charity care” or “financial assistance policy.” The nonprofit organization Dollar For also provides a simplified online tool for patients.

Next, appeal under the provisions of the No Surprises Act, a federal law that says insurance companies must reasonably cover any out-of-network services related to emergency and some non-emergency medical care. If you’re being charged more than you’re used to or expect when you receive in-network services, that bill may be illegal.

Also: Always ask for an itemized bill. Medical billing is notoriously complicated and rife with errors. An itemized bill includes the billing codes of all care received. If something is off between these codes and the care provided, contesting your bill can yield changes.

Another approach — comparing the bill with insurance companies’ estimates of fair charges for services can also help. If the price you were charged is more than average, you may have your costs lowered. You could even take the provider to small claims court over the discrepancy – or let them know you have a case.

Finally, always compare your insurance company’s “explanation of benefits” to the bill. The hospital’s bill must match the explanation of costs that are covered and not covered. If it does not, you have another reason not to pay and to ask the provider to work with your insurance company further first.

Even after taking these steps, you can always appeal health claims with your insurance company if you believe there is any reason the bills should be covered entirely or more than the company initially decided. You may also contact your state insurance commissioner for support.

___

This version has been corrected to show a consumer organization mentioned in the 13th paragraph is the U.S. Public Interest Research Group, not the U.S. Public Interest Resource Group.

___

The Associated Press receives support from Charles Schwab Foundation for educational and explanatory reporting to improve financial literacy. The independent foundation is separate from Charles Schwab and Co. Inc. The AP is solely responsible for its journalism.

New federal rule will remove medical debt from credit reports

Good Morning America

New federal rule will remove medical debt from credit reports

Elizabeth Schultz – January 7, 2025

New rule will remove medical debt from credit reports for millions Scroll back up to restore default view.Yahoo is using AI to generate takeaways from this article. This means the info may not always match what’s in the article. Reporting mistakes helps us improve the experience.Generate Key Takeaways

In a major change that could affect millions of Americans’ credit scores, the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau on Tuesday finalized a rule to remove medical debt from consumer credit reports.

MORE: Biden announces $4.28 billion in student loan relief for 55,000 borrowers

The rule would erase an estimated $49 billion in unpaid medical bills from the credit reports of roughly 15 million Americans, the CFPB said.

That could help boost those borrowers’ credit scores by an average of 20 points, helping them qualify for mortgages and other loans.

PHOTO: Vice President Kamala Harris waits in the Old Senate Chamber before swearing in new senators at the U.S. Capitol, Dec. 9, 2024, in Washington. (Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images)

“No one should be denied economic opportunity because they got sick or experienced a medical emergency,” Vice President Kamala Harris said in a statement touting the new rule.

She announced the proposal for the rule last June alongside CFPB Director Rohit Chopra.

“This will be life-changing for millions of families, making it easier for them to be approved for a car loan, a home loan or a small-business loan,” Harris added.U.S. & World NewsLatest national and global stories

MORE: 1st bird flu death in the US reported in Louisiana

Major credit reporting agencies have already announced voluntary steps to remove medical debt from their reports.

The final rule is set to take effect in March – but that timeline could be delayed by legal challenges.

Debt collection industry groups like the Association of Credit and Collection Professionals have opposed the change, saying it would result in “reduced consequences for not paying your bills, which in turn will reduce access to credit and health care for those that need it most.”

What a bankruptcy attorney has to say about medical debt being eliminated from your credit report

WJZY

What a bankruptcy attorney has to say about medical debt being eliminated from your credit report

Shaquira Speaks – January 7, 2025

CHARLOTTE, N.C. (QUEEN CITY NEWS) –The Biden administration announced a new policy Tuesday to help more than 15 million Americans by banning medical debt from appearing on credit reports.

The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau’s rule will remove $49 billion in debt from those reports, raising credit scores by an average of 20 points.

For many people, medical debt on their credit reports can lower their scores, affecting their ability to buy a home or car or apply for new loans.

Governor Stein announces executive order to ‘keep NC warm’ amid frigid temps

A Charlotte bankruptcy attorney says although that debt won’t show up on those reports anymore, he believes creditors will find a new way to make sure those debts are paid.

“So it is a really important thing,” explained Ruth Lande, vice president of Provider Relations at Undue Medical Debt. “Most people know that medical debt is not like other debts. It’s not the same kind of a debt of choice. And so to have those kinds of repercussions on a credit report affecting your ability to get housing or get a car or different things, that is really not what the credit system should be about.”

It’s a national nonprofit using donations to buy large bundles of unpaid medical bills to help Americans out of debt. Lande says clients say those debts stress customers — and deter them from seeking medical care.

“Patients want to pay their bills, and studies from Kaiser Family Foundation show that four-in-10 adults have these kinds of debts and that it’s affected their willingness to go and seek care or family members seeking care because they’re afraid of the cost. So, fear and anxiety and depression are really a big issue around medical debt.”

Charlotte bankruptcy attorney Rashad Blossom says more than 50 percent of his clients have unpaid medical debt. But, he says it may be too early to tell how much the new rule will really help.

“On one hand, the concern is, are creditors going to get aggressive in other areas, or will they start suing people?” Blossom said. “Will they start harassing them because that credit reporting debt collected tool has been taken away? So, it could be the case that drives more bankruptcies as creditors get more aggressive in other areas. On the other hand, it’s good for the consumer that this is not being reported because now, that’s one less concern about them being able to buy a home.”

The final rule is set to take effect in March – but that timeline could be delayed by legal challenges.

“So, the bottom line is it is just too early,” Blossom said. “We don’t know yet, but the concerns are there that it could be counterproductive.”