President Donald Trump on Friday called Vice President JD Vance the country's "fraud czar," whose focus on states led by "crooked Democrat politicians" has begun with "raids" in Los Angeles, California.
In a Truth Social post, the president elevated Vance's role in combating what he described as widespread abuse of taxpayer-funded programs across the nation.
"Vice President JD Vance is now in charge of 'FRAUD' in the United States. It is massive and pervasive," Trump wrote, adding that the effort would be "a major factor in how great the future of our Country will be."
Trump said Vance's focus would be "EVERYWHERE," but particularly in Democrat-led states such as California, Illinois, Minnesota, Maine, and New York, where he alleged there has been a "free for all" in the "unprecedented theft of Taxpayer Money."
"Raids have already started in L.A.," Trump added, signaling that enforcement actions are underway as part of the administration's broader crackdown.
The president suggested the potential savings could be enormous, saying that if fraud is successfully curbed, the U.S. could "literally be able to balance our American Budget."
The announcement builds on an executive order Trump signed last month creating a benefits-fraud task force chaired by Vance, aimed at rooting out systemic abuse in state- and federally run programs.
The task force is designed to coordinate across agencies and close long-standing gaps that allowed fraud to flourish.
"It seems that it's usually in blue states," Trump said at the time, the New York Post reported, while noting the initiative would apply nationwide.
He pointed to high-profile cases in Minnesota as an example of large-scale fraud, with administration estimates placing losses in the billions.
Vance has emphasized that weak oversight and poor communication between federal agencies enabled fraud schemes to spread unchecked.
In some cases, officials said, different departments had evidence of wrongdoing but failed to share information, allowing bad actors to exploit the system.
The task force, supported by top administration officials including Federal Trade Commission Chair Andrew Ferguson and senior adviser Stephen Miller, is expected to develop a comprehensive national strategy.
Plans include stronger identity verification requirements, enhanced audits, and tighter coordination between agencies overseeing housing, healthcare, and financial assistance programs.
Critics have pushed back on the administration's rhetoric, but Trump and his allies argue the effort is long overdue and essential to protecting taxpayer dollars and preserving critical safety-net programs.
With enforcement actions now reportedly underway and Vance taking a leading role, the administration is signaling a renewed focus on accountability, particularly in states where officials say oversight has lagged.
As Trump put it in his message to the vice president: "Good Luck JD!"
Charlie McCarthy ✉
Charlie McCarthy, a writer/editor at Newsmax, has nearly 40 years of experience covering news, sports, and politics.
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