What you need to know: Governor Gavin Newsom traveled to Washington, DC to meet with President Trump and members of Congress - focusing on securing critical disaster aid for the survivors of the Los Angeles fires and ensuring impacted families who lost their homes and livelihoods have the support they need to rebuild and recover.

WASHINGTON, DC - On Feb 5, 2025, Governor Gavin Newsom traveled to Washington, DC to meet with President Donald Trump, Republican and Democratic members of the California Delegation along with members of the U.S. Senate. The Governor was joined by Wade Crowfoot, the Secretary of the California Natural Resources Agency, who oversees key water and fire policy across the state.

“As we approach one month since the devastating wildfires across Southern California, we continue to cut red tape to speed up recovery and clean up efforts as well as ensure rebuilding efforts are swift. We’re working across the aisle, as we always have, to ensure survivors have the resources and support they need. Thank you President Trump for coming to our communities to see this first hand, and meeting with me today to continue our joint efforts to support people impacted.” - Governor Gavin Newsom

On Capitol Hill, Governor Newsom met with members of the California Delegation to discuss the importance of obtaining federal disaster relief for the survivors of last month’s LA firestorms, including Representatives Doug LaMalfa, Ken Calvert, Judy Chu, Brad Sherman, and George Whitesides.

Afterward, Governor Newsom met with key Senate leaders: New Mexico Senator Martin Heinrich, Ranking Member of the Senate Committee on Energy and Natural Resources, Georgia Senator Rev. Raphael Warnock, and Washington Senator Patty Murray, Vice Chair of the Senate Appropriations Committee, who was joined by California Senators Alex Padilla and Adam Schiff.

Building on meetings on Capitol Hill, Governor Newsom had a very productive meeting with President Trump at the White House to further discuss the critical need for unconditional disaster aid for survivors. This comes after the Governor met the President on the tarmac of LAX when President Trump toured the devastation as part of his first trip as President.

During the meeting, the Governor raised the critical need for federal assistance to support recovery efforts and help impacted families rebuild, emphasizing the strong partnership between local, state and federal agencies all working together on the ground on response and recovery efforts. The Governor expressed his appreciation for the Trump Administration’s early collaboration and specifically thanked EPA Administrator Lee Zeldin for his agency’s swift action, including over 1,000 personnel on the ground focused on debris removal.

The Governor continues to take action to support the survivors across Southern California – cutting red tape, providing key relief, and ensuring bolstered support for those in need. 

Stay up to date on the Governor’s actions here.