Kevin O’Leary Proposes Bold Condition for California’s Federal Aid Request [WATCH]

Businessman and television personality Kevin O’Leary has intensified his criticism of California leaders, calling for Governor Gavin Newsom and Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass to resign.

O’Leary’s remarks come amid ongoing wildfires and political discussions about tying federal disaster aid to a debt limit increase.

“I think every taxpayer in America, including those in California, would like to tie this aid to removing Newsom and Bass. Now. Gone,” O’Leary stated during an appearance on Fox Business Network’s Varney & Co. on Tuesday.

“Part of the deal would be, and I know Trump likes new ideas, here’s one: not a dime until those two are whacked from their jobs immediately. They are so incompetent, and all of the decisions they’ve made led to this, and they’re still making mistakes. They’re horrific managers. Whack them.”

Kevin O’Leary wants to float an idea to Trump on CA aid:

“I think every taxpayer in America, including those in California, would like to tie this aid to removing Newsom and Bass.”

“I know Trump likes new ideas. Here’s one. Not a dime until those two are whacked from their… pic.twitter.com/yUJcrMjw3p

— Western Lensman (@WesternLensman) January 14, 2025

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O’Leary’s comments were made as firefighters battled multiple active wildfires in Southern California.

The Auto Fire, which ignited early Tuesday in Ventura County, has been contained with forward progress stopped, according to firefighting officials.

However, the National Weather Service has reported wind gusts exceeding 70 mph in the region, raising concerns about potential fire spread and complicating firefighting efforts.

While the winds are not expected to reach last week’s intensity, they remain strong enough to pose challenges for firefighters and increase the risk of new or existing fires growing rapidly, as reported by FOX Weather.

On Monday, House Speaker Mike Johnson suggested linking federal wildfire aid to an increase in the national debt limit.

The proposal has sparked debate among lawmakers, with some Republican senators expressing reservations.

Senator Mike Rounds (R-S.D.) and Senator Tommy Tuberville (R-Ala.) have raised concerns about the approach, according to The Hill.

The idea of conditional aid has drawn sharp responses, reflecting the broader political tension over California’s handling of natural disasters.

CNN Segment Goes Sideways Over ‘Conditional’ Wildfire Aid Comment…

Republican strategist Scott Jennings and CNN host Abby Phillip engaged in a heated exchange Monday night over whether federal disaster relief for California’s wildfires should come with conditions requiring… pic.twitter.com/SeltO6vg7d

— RVM News (@redvoicenews) January 14, 2025

O’Leary’s call for leadership changes aligns with criticism from within the state.

California State Senate Minority Leader Brian Jones (R-Calif.) criticized Governor Newsom for combining wildfire relief efforts with unrelated political initiatives.

“Governor Newsom recently expanded the current special session that was focused on suing the Trump administration to also include Los Angeles wildfire relief,” Jones said in a statement.

“I’m encouraged that Governor Newsom heard our calls to take action on the LA wildfires in a special session. However, lumping this emergency response together with a politically motivated special session to sue Trump is unnecessary and, frankly, insulting to those struggling through this disaster.”

O’Leary also voiced skepticism about Southern California’s ability to recover under current leadership.

He highlighted the region’s aging infrastructure and policies as barriers to effective rebuilding.

“I even think the Olympics are in jeopardy [due to] the infrastructure,” O’Leary said.

“I think these homes, people have to realize, were built with pine timber back in the 50s and 60s, some of them as inexpensive as $15,000 now worth $4 million. They were dry. They basically melted. That looks like Hiroshima. But [with] the infrastructure and the policies, it’s going to be difficult in terms of building them back.”

As debates over federal aid and state leadership continue, the impact of these decisions will likely shape the region’s recovery efforts.

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