'Is this America First?' MAGA stars blast Trump for 'betrayal' over linking FEMA relief to Israel support

WASHINGTON, DC: President Donald Trump drew backlash from MAGA supporters after reports revealed that his administration planned to withhold disaster aid from states that boycott companies linked to Israel. 

FEMA now requires states to maintain commercial ties with Israeli companies in order to receive disaster assistance totaling around $1.9 billion.

Prominent conservative Candace Owens fiercely criticized the decision, labeling it an act of "treason" and accusing Trump of putting a foreign country’s interests ahead of America’s.

Trump supporter Candace Owens accuses Trump of betraying Americans

On Monday afternoon, August 4, Reuters released a report revealing that the Trump administration had decided to withhold federal disaster funding from states that boycott companies connected to Israel.

FEMA, in a statement obtained by Reuters, confirmed that states must adhere to the agency’s “terms and conditions” to receive aid. One of those conditions explicitly prohibits states from severing commercial relationships with Israeli companies.

The announcement sparked immediate backlash, even among some of Donald Trump's most vocal supporters.

Conservative commentator Candace Owens condemned the policy, accusing Trump of betraying American citizens by tying disaster relief to allegiance to a foreign nation.

She went as far as to call the decision an “act of treason,” stating in a tweet that Trump was "denying Americans who won’t support the genocide being conducted by your friends." Owens further said, "Trump has fully betrayed America for Netanyahu and if you cannot see that now you are completely blind."

She concluded the post with a pointed remark about a billionaire philanthropist and political donor known for supporting pro-Israel causes, writing, “Best 100 million Miriam Adelson ever spent”

In another post she added, "Yes, in the truest sense of the definition, this is an act of treason. He is now working to undermine Americans in favor of a nation that has always been hostile to the United States."

Internet asks Trump, 'Is this America first?'

Candace Owens’ criticism reflected a wider wave of outrage from both Trump supporters and opponents. Various public figures and commentators reacted with disbelief and criticism to the policy.

A host from the 'Twinspod' podcast questioned, “Is this America First?” while a co-host from Steve Bannon’s 'War Room', Natalie Winters responded with shock, simply asking, “What?”

The executive at The American Conservative magazine Curt Mills remarked sarcastically, “Ah great, more America First.”

Actor Kevin Sorbo echoed the confusion, asking, “Wait, what?”

Actress Alexandra Lains criticized the move harshly, saying, “I’ve never seen someone tank their legacy so fast. This is not America first and anyone advising him on this should be fired. Put this man in CHECK.”

Cenk Uygur, host of 'The Young Turks', added, “It’s absolutely humiliating for America to be controlled by a foreign country like this.”

Another user on X noted, “You can only push the American public so far even Evangelicals have their limits and see this subservience as crazy.”

What did FEMA report regarding disaster funding claim?

US states and territories that choose to boycott Israeli companies or businesses operating in Israel will be ineligible to receive certain federal disaster preparedness funds, according to a Reuters report released Monday, August 4.

The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) announced last Friday that it is making nearly $1 billion available to help states prepare for natural disasters such as floods, wildfires, hurricanes, and tornadoes, as well as for potential terrorist attacks and cyber threats.

This $1 billion is part of a broader pool of over $2.2 billion in funding outlined in FEMA’s Notices of Funding Opportunity. The grants, spread across 15 different programs, are intended to support state, local, tribal, and territorial governments in safeguarding American communities.

The decision comes amid a surge in global calls to boycott Israeli and international companies with business ties to Israel. Recently, Francesca Albanese, the UN Special Rapporteur on Palestine, intensified these demands following the release of a damning report.

In it, she accuses more than 60 companies, including major tech giants like Google, Amazon, and Microsoft—of contributing to what she describes as the shift from an "economy of occupation" to an "economy of genocide" in Israel.

DHS spokesperson on FEMA funding link to Israel

While reports suggested that the Trump administration intended to make states and cities ineligible for FEMA disaster relief if they boycotted Israeli companies, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) later clarified that no current FEMA funding is tied to any state's position on Israel, and no state has lost funding as a result.

Speaking to Axios, a DHS spokesperson stated, "There is no FEMA requirement tied to Israel in any current [Notice of Funding Opportunity]. No states have lost funding, and no new conditions have been imposed."

They continued, "FEMA grants remain governed by existing law and policy and not political litmus tests. DHS will enforce all anti-discrimination laws and policies, including as it relates to the BDS movement, which is expressly grounded in antisemitism. Those who engage in racial discrimination should not receive a single dollar of federal funding."

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