“As Trump returns east today, he’s got to be pretty satisfied with how the first official trip of his new term went,” Politico reports.

“The lovefest between Trump and his political enemies representing fire-scarred Los Angeles shows he’s capable of making nice, a key presidential skill — and shows where he might be trying to make more inroads among California’s deep-blue coastal elite.”

Said Trump: “I’m going to give you everything you want. I’m going to give you more than any president would have ever given you.”

Playbook: “It was a complete 180 from his attacks on California over the past two weeks, which hit on everything from water supplies to forest-management practices to immigration and insurance to Hollywood’s job market. He hit on those themes yesterday, too — but with nearly as much generosity as gloating.”

“Karen Bass may have been born and raised in Los Angeles, but her fire-ravaged hometown has become newly hostile territory,” Politico reports.

“Never in her decades-long political career has the Los Angeles mayor been the subject of such intense public scrutiny, from her anxious and grieving constituents all the way up to the incoming president.”

Peter Hamby: “I can report confidently, from multiple sources here on the ground, that most Angelenos would like the social media brigade to shut the fuck up.”

New York Times: “Her broken promise to cut off overseas travel and her busy international schedule since becoming mayor in December 2022 scarcely registered with the public before the wildfires, and Los Angeles voters accepted — and in some cases even welcomed — the mayor’s identity not just as a municipal leader but also as a Washington-style global player. Now, though, her decision to leave the country at a time when the National Weather Service was warning of ‘extreme fire weather conditions’ has set off a political crisis for Ms. Bass.”

“Rivals have lashed out. Liberal supporters whose homes burned down have become outraged critics. An online petition demanding her immediate resignation has attracted more than 100,000 signatures. MAGA Republicans and their allies have swarmed social media, amplifying and exploiting the anger.”

“When a series of dangerous, wind-driven fires broke out on Tuesday in the Los Angeles area, Mayor Karen Bass was on the other side of the globe, part of a delegation sent by President Biden to Ghana for the inauguration of its new president,” the New York Times reports.

“The mayor’s absence has drawn criticism from some Angelenos. Many said there was insufficient warning from officials about the likelihood of devastating fires, even as weather forecasts predicted extreme danger this week.”

The Bulwark: “Bass has faced heavy criticism both for seemingly approving millions of dollars in cuts to the city’s firefighting budget last year—though Politico reports that the overall funding for the department actually increased in a later, separate bill—and for an ill-timed trip to Ghana this week. She took that trip even as warnings came in that a dangerous fire could break out in and around the city. Once gone, she was left to coordinate the initial response from thousands of miles away.”

“The top uniformed police officer in the New York Police Department has resigned amid allegations he demanded sex from a subordinate in exchange for opportunities to earn extra pay,” the AP reports.

Politico: Eric Adams calls explosive allegations against NYPD ally “extremely concerning.”

“New York City Mayor Eric Adams, a Democrat who has taken a soft touch with President-elect Donald Trump, left open the possibility of switching to the Republican Party in a pair of Friday morning interviews,” Politico reports.

Former Rep. Anthony Weiner (D-NY) is thinking about mounting another political comeback attempt – this time in the New York City Council, City & State New York reports.

“Even by New York standards, Weiner’s career has seen a remarkable amount of scandal. He’s been out of office since 2011, when he resigned amid a sexting scandal that involved several women including a minor. He attempted a comeback run for mayor in 2013 which was derailed by yet another sexting scandal. In 2017, he was sentenced to 21 months in prison for sexting a minor.”

“A federal search of Weiner’s laptop in connection to the sexting investigation unearthed emails that furthered a federal probe into then-presidential candidate Hillary Clinton via Weiner’s ex-wife and Clinton aide Huma Abedin.”