President Donald Trump jabbed at Governor Gavin Newsom (D-CA) after $100 million in donated funds — raised through a concert named FireAid — did not go directly to the victims of the recent California wildfires.
FireAid was billed as a one-night concert event, featuring artists like Katy Perry, Olivia Rodrigo, and Lady Gaga — which was supposed to raise money for residents who lost their homes during the devastating wildfires that ravaged Altadena and the Pacific Palisades. In fact, A-List actors promised people that was the express purpose of the event. 
Actor Miles Teller – from Top Gun Maverick –  told everyone that FireAid would go “directly” to victims, saying, &#8220;All the money raised will go directly to people who need it now and long-term efforts to build it back.&#8221;
&#8220;The Avengers&#8221; star Samuel L. Jackson offered a similar take, encouraging as many people as possible to donate at the website even if they couldn&#8217;t attend the event: &#8220;Give what you can. All the money will go directly to people who need help in the short term and the long-term effort to get this city back on its feet.&#8221;
But as Sue Pascoe — Editor and Chief of Circling the News, who <a href="https://www.latimes.com/california/story/2025-03-27/lafd-records-secrecy">lost</a> her home in the Palisades fire — discovered, the money <a href="https://www.thefp.com/p/where-did-100-million-in-la-fire">did not go directly to individuals</a>: &#8220;There’s all sorts of skullduggery going on, and basically wildfire victims and Palisades and Altadena got no direct relief.&#8221;
Local residents backed up what Pascoe said as well. David Howard, who lost two homes in the Pacific Palisades, told the local Fox affiliate, &#8220;I have not seen any benefit from the FireAid money, and I am very involved here and neither have my neighbors.&#8221;
Likewise, Altadena fire victim Mark Jones said that he too had been led to believe the money was going to go directly to the people. &#8220;The fire aid was for us. So, we figured where is the money? Where is it going?&#8221; he asked.
President Trump weighed in on Friday, lashing out in all-caps from his Truth Social platform:
<blockquote>“FIREAID” IS A TOTAL DISASTER. LOOKS LIKE ANOTHER DEMOCRAT INSPIRED SCAM. 100 MILLION DOLLARS IS MISSING. WAS SUPPOSED TO TO GO TO THE LOS ANGELES FIRE VICTIMS, FIRES THAT, WITH PROPER MANAGEMENT, WOULD NEVER HAVE EVEN HAPPENED. GOVERNOR NEWSCUM REFUSED TO RELEASE BILLIONS OF GALLONS OF WATER FROM NORTHERN CALIFORNIA, AND THE PACIFIC NORTHWEST. WHAT A DIFFERENCE IT WOULD HAVE MADE! I HAVE SINCE OVERRULED HIM, AND IT IS NOW RELEASED. All FEDERAL HOUSING PERMITS HAVE ALSO BEEN APPROVED, THE CITY IS YEARS LATE. GET THE FIRE VICTIMS THEIR APPROVALS TO REBUILD, AND DO IT NOW!</blockquote>
Newsom responded to Trump&#8217;s post on X, sarcastically mocking up a screenshot of the president&#8217;s Truth post and rebutting some of his claims.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
Go to bed, grandpa. It’s past your bedtime. <a href="https://t.co/9qRtdqMhha">https://t.co/9qRtdqMhha</a> <a href="https://t.co/SvEnokL4YZ">pic.twitter.com/SvEnokL4YZ</a>
— Governor Newsom Press Office (@GovPressOffice) <a href="https://twitter.com/GovPressOffice/status/1948915120337551815?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 26, 2025</a></blockquote>
FireAid has claimed that the money was never intended to go directly to the people — despite the claims made by celebrities promoting the event — and issued a statement saying, &#8220;FireAid does not have the capability to make direct payments to individuals and that was never the plan. We partnered directly with trusted local non-profits&#8230;to reach communities in need.&#8221;
Some of those nonprofits, according to <a href="https://www.foxnews.com/us/california-wildfire-victims-left-wondering-where-100m-went-following-fireaid-benefit-concert" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Fox News Digital</a>, include one that works to promote “self-determination in the Latino community” and promised to use the funding to build not just houses but “a more humane and democratic society by responding to the needs and problems of disenfranchised people.” Another organization promised to use the money to “cultivate egalitarian relationships based on trust and respect.&#8221; 
Rep. Kevin Kiley (R-CA) has asked the Attorney General to get to the bottom of the situation.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
Americans showed amazing generosity in giving $100 million to support LA fire victims as part of the &#8220;Fire Aid&#8221; concert. Yet the money did not go directly to victims, and went to several questionable nonprofits.
I&#8217;ve asked the Attorney General to investigate. <a href="https://t.co/n4UfBxzaAE">pic.twitter.com/n4UfBxzaAE</a>
— Rep. Kevin Kiley (@RepKiley) <a href="https://twitter.com/RepKiley/status/1948783871236944093?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 25, 2025</a></blockquote>
Listen to this story and the rest of today&#8217;s &#8220;Morning Wire&#8221; podcast here.
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Trump Jabs At Newsom After $100 Million In FireAid Concert Funds Don’t Go Directly To Victims

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Trump Jabs At Newsom After $100 Million In FireAid Concert Funds Don’t Go Directly To Victims