Mayor Karen Bass and county Supervisor Kathryn Barger had “very positive” talks with President Donald Trump Wednesday amid efforts to support fire victims and hold insurers accountable.
Bass and Barger are in Washington D.C to advocate for families who lost everything due to the January 2025 wildfires. The pair of elected officials met with Trump and administration officials Wednesday afternoon.
“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,” Bass and Barger said in a joint statement, referring to the Federal Emergency Management Agency.
“Our job is to fight for our communities. When it comes to this recovery, our federal partners are essential, and we are grateful for the support of the president,” the statement continued.
Bass and Barger’s meeting with Trump comes after the president accused insurance companies of abandoning Southern Californians impacted by the devastating wildfires in March.
In a post on Truth Social, Trump’s social media platform, he called out State Farm and other insurers. Trump described those companies as “horrendous” for failing homeowners who had paid their premiums.
“People have been paying them large premiums for years, only to find that when tragedy struck, these horrendous companies were not there to help!,” Trump wrote on social media.
Trump tasked Environmental Protection Agency Administrator Lee Zeldin with conducting a report on insurers that acted “swiftly, courageously, and bravely” to honor their legal obligations, and those who didn’t.
Trump has previously criticized Gov. Gavin Newsom and Bass for their response to the wildfires, blaming them for the disaster and slow-paced efforts to restore Pacific Palisades and Altadena.
Under Trump’s direction, Zeldin visited Southern California earlier this year. During his trip, he met with Bass, Barger and county Supervisor Lindsey Horvath.
Discussion between elected officials and the Trump administration, in part, resulted in recognizing the challenges fire survivors face with dealing with insurers.
Fire survivors have described dealing with insurers and filing claims as the biggest hurdle to recovery.
Meanwhile, fire survivors, consumer advocates and state legislators conducted a news conference in Sacramento Wednesday morning to highlight a package of insurance reforms bills.
State Sen. Sasha Renée Pérez, D-Pasadena, led the group. She discussed the four bills that expected to heard by the Senate Insurance Committee.
Senate Bill 877 aims to bring transparency to loss estimates, while SB 878 aims to penalize insurers for making unnecessary delays in paying claims.
SB 1076 seeks to ensure access to coverage for homeowners who make their homes fire-safe. Lastly, SB 1301 aims to give consumers more time to correct any problems before losing coverage, according to officials.