United States President Donald Trump announced a new role for Vice President JD Vance on Friday, as Vance is now the “fraud czar.”
In a lengthy Truth Social post, Trump explained that Vance’s new position involves investigating fraud in several Democrat-run states. Trump specifically named California, Illinois, Minnesota, Maine, and New York as areas Vance will focus on.
“The numbers are so large that, if successful, we would literally be able to balance our American Budget,” Trump wrote. “Raids have already started in L.A. Good Luck JD!”
Vance had not publicly addressed Trump’s Truth Social post as of publication.
Trump accused those five states of contributing to an “unprecedented theft” of taxpayer money. CMS Administrator, Dr. Mehmet Oz, previously announced that his office is investigating Hochul and New York’s $124 billion Medicaid program.
( @realDonaldTrump – Truth Social Post )
( Donald J. Trump – Apr 03 2026, 8:05 AM ET )
Vice President JD Vance is now in charge of “FRAUD” in the United States. It is massive and pervasive, and the job he will be doing, in conjunction with many great people within the Trump… pic.twitter.com/Kp7igR8DfQ
— Fan Donald J. Trump 🇺🇸 TRUTH POSTS (@TruthTrumpPosts) April 3, 2026
The Minnesota Department of Human Services reported earlier this year that the state spent over $343 million on autism programs in 2024, significantly up from the just under $1.1 million spent in 2017. Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz assumed office in 2019, and the total dollars reimbursed went from $6.1 million to roughly $20.4 million.
Federal prosecutors have charged nearly 100 individuals in connection with fraud tied to Minnesota social services programs, including child care, food, autism programs, and housing. Most defendants are of Somali descent, which Trump alluded to in his Truth Social post.
Walz later announced that he will not run for re-election.
Vance officially launched an anti-fraud task force last month, and over 220 health care providers in Los Angeles have already been suspended for suspected fraud thus far. The Department of Justice announced the arrests of eight individuals as part of Operation Never Say Die on Thursday. The defendants — which include three nurses, a chiropractor, and a psychologist — are accused of engaging in fraud exceeding $50 million.
Bill Essayli, the U.S. Attorney for the Central District of California, wrote on X that the arrest total is up to 11.
The Trump Administration — home to the biggest fraudsters on Earth — is trying to blame California for issues with THEIR federal programs.
Glad to see the Feds finally taking seriously the fraud in the programs they themselves manage…only 15 months after Trump took office. https://t.co/rnWF9NIezt
— Governor Gavin Newsom (@CAgovernor) April 2, 2026
California Gov. Gavin Newsom, who remains among Trump’s most vocal critics, called the Trump administration the “biggest fraudsters on Earth” in an X post on Thursday evening.
“Glad to see the Feds finally taking seriously the fraud in the programs they themselves manage…only 15 months after Trump took office,” Newsom wrote.
Trump had not responded to Newsom as of Friday morning. The two have been involved in a bitter, months-long feud, often trading jabs on social media.
Vance and Newsom remain the consensus favorites to respectively earn the Republican and Democratic nominations for the 2028 presidential election.
