Rick Caruso reconsiders return to LA mayor’s race after damning Bass report: ‘Loss of public trust’

Rick Caruso is not ruling out another run for Los Angeles mayor after reports that LA Mayor Karen Bass altered a Palisades wildfire report.

“Well, I’ve gotten a lot of calls today, as you can imagine, and I know there’s been a lot of posts on X and other places asking me to jump back in, and I’m honored by that,” he said in an interview with KNX News.

“I don’t have a lot of time to decide, obviously, because we’ve got a looming deadline this Saturday,” the 67-year-old Republican-turned-Democrat added. “I’m going to be meeting and talking with the family, and we’ll see what we decide to do.”

His statement came after the Los Angeles Times reported that Bass wanted key findings scrubbed or watered down in the official Palisades Fire response report to downplay the failures made by the city and fire department when the deadly blaze erupted.

“This is a complete loss of public trust and an intentional act of covering up the actions that led to people dying,” Caruso wrote on X Wednesday, calling the Bass report an “absolute outrage.”

“When it comes to life-safety matters, this is no longer a matter of making poor judgment, apologizing, and moving forward,” he added.

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The businessman initially ruled out running for mayor and California governor last month.

If he decides to run, Caruso would join a crowded field of nearly 20 candidates challenging the incumbent Bass.

The last day to file a declaration of intent to run is Feb. 7, 2026.