Trump Tells LA Mayor ‘I Know My People’ As He Slams Her For Slow Fire Cleanup

President Donald Trump pushed back on Democratic Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass during a Friday evening press conference, defending the idea that Pacific Palisades residents shouldn’t have to wait for government assistance to fix their homes.

First Lady Melania Trump and the president traveled to Southern California’s Pacific Palisades on Friday afternoon to visit one of the areas in Los Angeles County destroyed by the wildfires that began on Jan. 7. During a press conference with state lawmakers and local officials, a local resident expressed frustration over how many homeowners had been unable to move forward on their properties.

“The number one thing that we are going to do immediately, and you will see this happen, is to clear out the debris. We’re concerned right now over the weekend because of the potential rain. But we are going to move as fast as we can. But we want you to be safe. We want you to be back in your homes immediately,” Bass said.

Trump jumped in.

“But the people are willing to clean out their own debris. It doesn’t cost a lot,” Trump said.

Bass could be heard responding, “they can,” before Trump continued, urging the Democratic mayor to allow residents to fix their properties themselves, as they were requesting.

“You should let them do it. Because by the time you hire contractors, it’s going to be two years. People are willing to get a dumpster and do it themselves and clean it out. There’s not that much left. It’s all incinerated,” Trump said. “And, you know, it’s just going to take a long time if you do .”

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“You can do some of it. But a lot of these people, I know that guy right there that’s talking. I know my people. You’ll be in that thing tonight, throwing the stuff away and your site will look perfect within 24 hours. That’s what he wants to do,” Trump added.