Trump puts VP Vance in charge of 'war on fraud' - The Hindu
Donald Trump announced that his Vice President, J.D. Vance, will lead a "war on fraud" targeting government benefit abuse in Democratic-led states such as Minnesota, California, Massachusetts, and Maine. Trump accused the administration of widespread benefits fraud, particularly within Minnesota's Somali immigrant community, and claimed that eliminating such fraud could quickly balance the federal budget.
Donald Trump said Tuesday (February 25, 2026) he was appointing his Vice President to lead a "war on fraud" as he railed against alleged abuses of government benefits in Democratic-controlled states — particularly Minnesota.
The U.S. President charged in his State of the Union address that similar problems are taking place elsewhere, in states like California, Massachusetts and Maine.
"I am officially announcing the war on fraud, to be led by our great Vice President J.D. Vance," Mr. Trump said. He claimed that if his administration could "find enough of that fraud, we will have a balanced budget overnight."
As federal investigators have been looking into government benefits fraud in Minnesota, the Trump administration has lashed out at Somali immigrants in particular, some of whom have implicated in the schemes.
The Trump administration has alleged public benefits fraud is widespread in Minnesota's Somali community as a whole. The state hosts the largest Somali immigrant community in the country with around 80,000 people.
Published - February 25, 2026 11:06 am IST
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