Overview

• Federal prosecutors charged Jonathan Rinderknecht, 29, of Melbourne, Florida, with destruction of property by means of fire in connection with January’s Palisades Fire.
• Gavin Newsom praised the Justice Department and ATF for the investigation, calling the arrest an important step toward accountability for victims.
• The governor accused President Trump and House Speaker Mike Johnson of ignoring his nearly $40 billion recovery request, saying he has heard “not a word.”
• Earlier federal assistance included EPA and Army Corps debris-removal operations and roughly $2 billion in FEMA grants and SBA disaster loans, but the larger package remains unapproved.
• The fire burned 23,448 acres, killed at least 12 people, and destroyed thousands of homes, as legal fights continue after a judge barred tying disaster funds to state immigration policies.