Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass got fact-checked on live television Friday when a local reporter questioned her pothole repair claims during an interview.
Bass told viewers that city crews had paved 60 miles of streets, but KTLA reporter Eric Spillman swiftly countered that Los Angeles has roughly 22,000 miles of roadway in need of work, according to video of the exchange posted on social media.
The situation deteriorated further when Bass shifted to discussing President Donald Trump before walking away from the interview entirely. (RELATED: Homelessness Czar Karen Bass Ghosts City’s Massive Unsheltered Count)
The mayor had appeared at a Chinatown event where city workers were patching potholes. Her office told KTLA that repair teams have fixed more than 10,000 potholes since a record storm struck over the holidays.
Spillman, reporting from Hollywood, gestured toward a cluster of craters on Lexington Avenue near Vine Street. “You don’t have to be a detective to find them — they’re everywhere,” he said.
Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass gets absolutely obliterated on live TV during a pothole filling photo op.
She attempts to brag about paving 60 miles of Los Angeles streets, when the reporter informs her there are 22,000 miles to pave in Los Angeles.
For those keeping track at home… pic.twitter.com/lVhXIaUL5f
— Kevin Dalton (@TheKevinDalton) February 20, 2026
Local residents expressed doubt about those figures. Spillman pointed out that several Angelenos had submitted multiple service requests for the same craters yet saw no action taken, KTLA reported. Drivers he spoke with said conditions on city streets have not improved.
Pothole damage hits motorists hard financially. AAA pegs the average repair bill at $600, with typical problems including flat tires, damaged rims, and broken suspension components, KTLA reported. Roughly ten percent of drivers suffer vehicle damage after striking road defects, according to the auto club.
Los Angeles maintains 6,500 miles of dedicated streets, totaling 28,000 lane miles, according to the city’s Bureau of Street Services. The system ranks as the largest municipal road network in the nation.