Kelly Loeffler, administrator of the US Small Business Administration (SBA), announced Tuesday that SBA has approved California Gov. Gavin Newsom’s request for disaster relief assistance to help small businesses in downtown Los Angeles following last month’s protests. File Photo by Al Drago/UPI | License Photo
July 1 (UPI) — The Trump administration has approved California Gov. Gavin Newsom‘s request for disaster relief following last month’s riots in downtown Los Angeles, the Small Business Administration announced Tuesday.
President Donald Trump and SBA Administrator Kelly Loeffler approved the state’s Economic Injury Disaster Loan declaration that will allow small businesses to apply for up to $2 million in low-interest EIDL loans.
“Gavin Newsom let the migrant mob torch Los Angeles,” Loeffler wrote Tuesday in a post on X.
“Now he’s asking SBA for disaster relief to fix an estimated $1 billion in damage. It’s another Newsom crisis that POTUS is cleaning up for law-abiding citizens and small businesses.”
Gavin Newsom let the migrant mob torch Los Angeles.
Now he’s asking SBA for disaster relief to fix an est. $1 BILLION in damage.
It’s another Newsom crisis that @POTUS is cleaning up for law-abiding citizens & small businesses.https://t.co/cxz1G2T8kk— Kelly Loeffler (@SBA_Kelly) July 1, 2025
SBA disaster assistance teams are also providing on-the-ground support to those impacted, according to Loeffler.
Hundreds were arrested last month for looting and vandalism at dozens of businesses after days of protests directed at Immigration and Customs Enforcement raids.
During the riots, the Trump administration deployed thousands of National Guard troops to help law enforcement officers, who called the “unlawful and dangerous behavior” a “concerning escalation” after demonstrators flooded LA streets and freeways.
Newsom blamed Trump’s decision to call up the National Guard for creating the escalation, calling it a “breach of state sovereignty.”
“We didn’t have a problem until Trump got involved,” Newsom said on June 8. “This is a serious breach of state sovereignty — inflaming tensions while pulling resources from where they’re actually needed.”
Days later, Trump accused Newsom of failing to protect communities and said without the intervention, Los Angeles “would be burning to the ground right now.”
Newsom has not commented on California’s disaster relief approval.
“Gov. Newsom allowed a mob to rampage Los Angeles — standing with violent rioters, paid protesters and criminal illegal aliens over law-abiding citizens. Despite an estimated $1 billion in damage, he refused federal relief for weeks, insisting that the riots were peaceful even as small business owners stood in the rubble,” said Loeffler.
“Although the SBA has approved California’s disaster relief request and will begin delivering immediate aid to the innocent victims, Gov. Newsom must take accountability for his state-sanctioned crisis.”