Organizers of the FireAid benefit concert issued a statement over their $100 million relief fund distribution in response to mounting criticism from lawmakers and US President Donald Trump over how the money was distributed.
The organization addressed what it called “an increasing amount of misinformation being shared online about the distribution of FireAid funds.”
The response comes as Republican Congressman Kevin Kiley has pushed for a Department of Justice investigation and as Trump labeled the effort “a total disaster” on Truth Social.
Rep. Kiley said: “Tens of thousands of people in Southern California lost so much in the wildfires, including their homes and loved ones.”
“Americans generously opened their wallets to help the people impacted by the wildfires. Every penny should go towards helping those people rebuild their lives. I am urging the Attorney General to open an investigation into the matter immediately so the people of Southern California can receive much-needed relief.”
In response to the criticism, FireAid said it has $75 million has been distributed across two phases to more than 160 nonprofit organizations, schools, and local groups that were vetted by Goldman Sachs.
The remaining $25 million is expected to be distributed by year-end, with all results subject to an independent audit by KPMG in December 2025.
“FireAid has distributed two rounds of funding totaling close to $75 million to organizations helping people on the ground and expect to distribute the remaining $25 million by the end of the year.”
FireAid
FireAid said: “To date, FireAid has distributed two rounds of funding totaling close to $75 million to organizations helping people on the ground and expect to distribute the remaining $25 million by the end of the year.”
The January 2025 benefit concert series was held at the Intuit Dome and the Kia Forum in Inglewood, California, drawing 50 million viewers. The two concerts were streamed on 28 platforms, including Apple Music, AppleTV, DIRECTV, Disney+/Hulu, iHeartRadio, Max, Meta (Facebook/Instagram), Netflix/Tudum.com, Paramount+/Pluto TV, Peacock/NBC News Now, Prime Video, SiriusXM’s “LIFE with John Mayer” channel, SoundCloud, TikTok, Veeps, X, and YouTube.
“Americans generously opened their wallets to help the people impacted by the wildfires. Every penny should go towards helping those people rebuild their lives.”
Kevin Kiley, Republican Congressman
Thirty prominent artists performed at the shows, among them Anderson .Paak, Billie Eilish and Finneas, Green Day, Jelly Roll, Joni Mitchell, Katy Perry, Lady Gaga, Lil Baby, No Doubt, Olivia Rodrigo, Peso Pluma, P!nk, Red Hot Chili Peppers, Rod Stewart, Sting, and Tate McRae. Additionally, Dave Matthews and John Mayer performed together for the first time.
As MBW previously reported, the total funds raised include ticket sales for the two concerts, sponsorships, merchandise sales, and donations from the public, including “generous private gifts” from the Azoff family, the Eagles, Andrew Hauptman and Ellen Bronfman Hauptman, and U2.
However, the distribution of the payments to victims and organizations fueled the controversy.
Trump escalated criticism over the weekend, posting on Truth Social that FireAid “looks like another Democrat inspired scam.” The president claimed that “$100 million is missing,” adding that “with proper management, [this] would never have even happened.”
Trump also claimed that: “Governor [Gavin Newsom] refused to release billions of gallons of water from Northern California and the Pacific Northwest… All federal housing permits have also been approved, the city is years late.”
“$100 million is missing… with proper management, [this] would never have even happened.”
Donald Trump, US President
In response, Newsom wrote on X that “there was no shortage of water in the region” and that “there is no such thing as federal housing permit.”
FireAid defended its distribution, highlighting specific outcomes from some grant recipients. The organization noted that the Change Reaction issued 2,500 direct cash assistance checks to individuals for groceries, rent, and emergency supplies.
“there was no shortage of water in the region… there is no such thing as federal housing permit.”
Gavin Newsom, California Governor
It noted that the LA Regional Food Bank distributed “over 50 million pounds of food and household essentials to families cut off from basic necessities,” while 211 LA employed 40 additional care coordinators to assist more than 6,000 displaced families, connecting them to housing, legal aid, and government benefits.
FireAid said The Los Angeles Times conducted an independent review of FireAid’s distribution, contacting over 100 organizations that received grants.
In his letter to Attorney General Pam Bondi, Rep. Kiley, who represents California’s 3rd congressional district, said some of the nonprofits listed as beneficiaries of the FireAid concert “don’t even operate in the LA area.”
Rep. Kiley cited an independent report by Fox11 in Los Angeles and Circling the News, which he said “have uncovered that those donations were instead diverted to a number of nonprofits, many of which have a tenuous connection (at best) to fire relief and recovery.”
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=/GE1-8w9ZiuQ
Meanwhile, FireAid’s organizers said the remaining $25 million in grants will support “initiatives around financial and housing stability, mental health and trauma services for families and individuals, and community infrastructure.”
FireAid reiterated that the final phase of grants “will be coming by year end.”
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