Karen Bass met with Donald Trump at the White House on Wednesday to push for additional wildfire relief funding for Los Angeles, marking a rare point of cooperation following months of disputes between California leaders and the administration, as reported [1] by Fox News.
Bass was joined by Kathryn Barger during the meeting, which took place in the Oval Office and included senior administration officials. Bass later shared a photo of the meeting on X.
In a joint statement, Bass and Barger described the discussion as productive and focused on recovery efforts tied to last year’s Palisades and Eaton fires.
“This afternoon we met with President Trump and Administration officials to advocate for families who lost everything,” the statement said.
“We had a very positive discussion about FEMA and other rebuilding funds as well as the support of the President to continue joining us in pressuring the insurance companies to pay what they owe – and for the big banks to step up to ease the financial pressure on L.A. families.”
“Our job is to fight for our communities,” the statement continued. “When it comes to this recovery, our federal partners are essential, and we are grateful for the support of the President.”
Joint statement from me and @MayorOfLA [3]:
“This afternoon, we met with @POTUS [4] and Administration officials to advocate for families who lost everything. We had a very positive discussion about @fema [5] and other rebuilding funds, as well as the support of the President to continue… pic.twitter.com/3T4jf32kJ0 [6]— Supervisor Kathryn Barger (@kathrynbarger) April 22, 2026 [7]
The meeting follows a prolonged standoff between California officials and federal authorities over wildfire recovery funding and the federal government’s role in rebuilding efforts.
The fires, which included the Palisades and Eaton incidents, burned more than 37,700 acres and destroyed over 16,200 structures. The scale of the damage resulted in tens of billions of dollars in losses, with rebuilding efforts still underway.
Residents affected by the fires continue to face challenges related to insurance claims and rising reconstruction costs. In June, the Federal Emergency Management Agency announced more than $3 billion in aid for recovery efforts. Later, Gavin Newsom requested an additional $33.9 billion in federal funding, according to the Los Angeles Times.
Disputes over funding have continued in recent months. Newsom recently criticized Kristi Noem regarding delays in releasing more than $500 million in FEMA funding connected to wildfire recovery.
Bass has also been involved in broader policy disagreements with the Trump administration, including tensions related to immigration enforcement protests in Los Angeles.
Following the White House meeting, Bass faced criticism online. Spencer Pratt, who is running for mayor, posted a response on social media reacting to the Oval Office photo.
“MAGA KAREN,” Pratt wrote, later adding, “Karen Bass sold her soul to Trump in a last-ditch desperation move ahead of the election LMAO.”
look at the MAGA merch! Karen Bass sold her soul to Trump in a last ditch desperation move ahead of the election LMAO pic.twitter.com/i4u9G3MVs9 [8]
— Spencer Pratt (@spencerpratt) April 22, 2026 [9]
Fox News Digital reported that it reached out to both the White House and Bass’ office for comment but did not receive a response.