Trump’s agenda could affect rebuilding L.A.
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Good morning. Here’s what you need to know to start your day.
- Rebuilding Los Angeles could collide with President Trump’s immigration crackdown and tariff threats.
- Here’s what we know of Trump’s slate of executive orders.
- The Self-Realization Fellowship Lake Shrine was surrounded by flames. Then a family came to its rescue.
- And here’s today’s e-newspaper.
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Trump vows to rebuild a ‘more beautiful’ Los Angeles. His agenda could complicate things
President Trump is expected to visit Los Angeles this week and view damage from the devastating wildfires that decimated neighborhoods and killed at least 27 people.
And the visit comes as Trump vows to rebuild the city “more beautiful than ever before.”
“We have the best builders in the world,” he said during a Sunday rally at the Capital One Arena in Washington, according to CNN.
“It’s the only people that could do it. Nobody else knows what the hell they’re doing. And in 2028, the Los Angeles Olympics will be one of the great sporting events and patriotic celebrations in history.”
But Trump’s promises might hit some major setbacks: the mass deportations and trade tariffs he has repeatedly vowed to enact.
This morning we’ll take a look at how Trump’s political agenda could affect Los Angeles-area residents who are hoping to rebuild homes and businesses that were consumed in this month’s wildfires.
Immigrants make up a significant percentage of the California workers needed to rebuild neighborhoods
An estimated 41% of construction workers in California are immigrants, my colleagues Rachel Uranga, Ruben Vives and Liam Dillon report, citing information from the National Assn. of Home Builders.
But that number is far higher in residential construction, experts said, because much of it is nonunionized and not as heavily regulated as large capital projects.
Trump officials have said the deportations will focus on criminals and those who pose a threat to public safety.
But these plans haven’t been put in writing yet, causing many employers to fear the Trump administration will cast a wider net, a move that could affect construction, manufacturing and other industries that are heavily dependent on immigrant labor.
Research examining a U.S. immigration enforcement program shows that mass deportations could have a ripple effect through the building industry and cause home prices to rise amid a reduction in the supply of houses, my colleagues report. You can find more information from them in this link.
New tariffs on imports from Canada and other countries could set off new waves of inflation in home building
Trump has threatened to add 25% tariffs on goods from Mexico and Canada.
It turns out that Canada is the biggest foreign supplier of lumber for the U.S. market, and Southern California builders use wood that mostly comes from Canada and the Pacific Northwest, my colleague Don Lee reports.
If Trump moves forward on his tariff threat, import levies on Canadian lumber overall could top 50%, creating yet another hurdle for an industry that is already facing a supply crunch.
“I do believe the volatility could be reminiscent of what we experienced in COVID,” Kyle Little, chief operating officer at Sherwood Lumber, told my colleague Lee.
The tariffs could also cause a slowdown in the economy and curtail home building, said Frank Addiego, president of All Bay Mill & Lumber Co. in Napa County.
You can read more about how Trump’s proposed tariffs could affect the economy and rebuilding efforts in this link.
Today’s top stories
What we know of Trump’s slate of executive orders
- The president quickly flexed the sweeping powers of the presidency following his second inauguration on Monday, signing a slate of executive orders that would radically alter U.S. policy if allowed to stand.
- Meanwhile, Trump criticized Los Angeles’ fire response in his inaugural address.
- After taking the oath of office, Trump accused California of voter fraud — again.
- Tech CEOs were featured prominently at Trump’s inauguration.
- Trump orders federal agencies to recognize only two sexes that are ‘not changeable.’
A “particularly dangerous” fire weather warning is expected to end at 10 a.m. today
- The National Weather Service activated the warning on Monday for an unprecedented fifth time this season. It affects swaths of Los Angeles County and most of Ventura County.
- The Palisades fire was 63% contained, and the Eaton fire was 89% contained. You can find more updates here.
- The recent wildfires shine a spotlight on an obscure firefighting charity.
L.A.’s fire chief generated controversy — and fierce loyalty — while the city burned
- Los Angeles Fire Chief Kristin Crowley has emerged as a folk hero to many firefighters after she publicly called out City Hall over a lack of funding.
- But Crowley faces criticism over her handling of the Palisades disaster. Several experts said Crowley could have deployed available engines more strategically and kept 1,000 firefighters for a second shift as winds picked up early on Jan 7.
A wave of cat deaths from bird flu prompts new rules on pet food production
- Federal agencies are now enforcing new rules to help keep the virus out of pet food. Experts say the presence of the virus in commercial meat and dairy highlights the vulnerability of the U.S. food chain to bird flu.
- The deaths of dozens of felines underscore the murky and largely unregulated industry of raw pet-food manufacturing.
What else is going on
- He pulled up to the Palisades fire with a fire engine and an offer to help. It was fake, authorities said.
- Tourists love Los Angeles. Could the fires change that?
- Paralyzed by heaps of post-fire paperwork? Here are eight tips to get started.
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Commentary and opinions
- Donald Trump is president again. Columnist Jonah Goldberg asks, Did you feel the vibe shift?
- As L.A. fire victims rebuild, let’s make safety the first priority, the Editorial Board writes.
- “Survivor’s guilt” is real right now in L.A., writes features columnist Todd Martens.
- At Trump’s inauguration, a call for unity is punctured by grievance and threats, columnist Anita Chabria writes.
- Columnist Mark Z. Barabak watched Trump’s inauguration with a Democrat and a Republican. Here’s what they saw.
This morning’s must-reads
“It took everything in me to do the best I could,” said Gabriella Asad, 20, who worked alongside her father and brother to put out flames.
Other must-reads
- The Tongva’s land burned in Eaton fire. But leaders say traditional practices mitigated the damage.
- Here’s a look at how Hollywood lost the culture war.
How can we make this newsletter more useful? Send comments to [email protected].
For your downtime
Going out
- 👻 Disneyland’s original Haunted Mansion returns with a heartbreaking new scene.
- 🍴 We asked more than a dozen L.A. restaurateurs and chefs what they’re wishing for most in 2025. The list includes dropping the word “authentic.”
- 🎬 Oscar nominations are expected to be announced Thursday morning. Columnist Glenn Whipp shares his predictions.
Staying in
- 📖 Naomi Watts gets frank about menopause in a new book that draws on her own experience.
- 📚 Susan Barker’s “Old Soul” follows a serial killer, or perhaps more precisely follows her victims.
- 🧑🍳 Here’s a recipe for energy bars.
- ✏️ Get our free daily crossword puzzle, sudoku, word search and arcade games.
A question for you: What act of kindness makes you smile every time you think of it?
Hunter here. For me, it is the notes my husband would leave on the coffee maker during the pandemic. He would go to bed later than me and spend part of the night making little illustrations and notes of encouragement. I kept every single one.
Email us at [email protected], and your response might appear in the newsletter this week.
And finally ... your photo of the day
Today’s great photo is from Loch Jones: a sunset view of Mt. Shasta in Siskiyou County.
Loch writes: “The view of Mt. Shasta is so beautiful and often changing with the seasons, the clouds, and amounts of snow.”
Show us your favorite place in California! Send us photos you have taken of spots in California that are special — natural or human-made — and tell us why they’re important to you.
Have a great day, from the Essential California team
Ryan Fonseca, reporter
Defne Karabatur, fellow
Andrew Campa, Sunday reporter
Kevinisha Walker, multiplatform editor
Hunter Clauss, multiplatform editor
Christian Orozco, assistant editor
Stephanie Chavez, deputy metro editor
Karim Doumar, head of newsletters
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