President Donald Trump has vowed to “get to the bottom” of alleged large-scale fraud in Minnesota, turning an ongoing criminal investigation into a renewed national political flashpoint.
Speaking at a New Year’s Eve gathering at his Mar-a-Lago resort in Florida, Trump said he had been watching Minnesota Republican Congressman Tom Emmer discuss fraud cases tied to state-run programs. Trump told attendees that his administration would ensure the stolen funds are recovered, describing the situation as a “giant scam” that goes far beyond what has already been uncovered.
The controversy centers on investigations that began in 2022, when the Department of Justice first exposed the Feeding Our Future scandal. That case alone is estimated to have cost U.S. taxpayers around $250 million. According to the Associated Press, 57 people have been convicted so far, with 78 charged in total. Since then, federal prosecutors have flagged additional programs for scrutiny.
In mid-December, First Assistant U.S. Attorney Joe Thompson said that more than $9 billion in federal funds allocated to 14 Minnesota programs since 2018 may have been stolen. He also suggested that as much as half of $18 billion in total funding could be tied to fraud, though investigations are still ongoing and no final figure has been confirmed.
The issue has taken on cultural and political sensitivity because a large number of defendants are Somali Americans. AP reports that 82 of the 92 defendants charged so far fall into that category, raising concerns within the Somali community about stigmatization. Trump referenced Emmer’s remarks about the Somali population during his speech, though he did not clarify which comments he meant. Emmer later posted on X calling for the denaturalization and deportation of any Somali individuals found guilty of fraud.
Minnesota Governor Tim Walz has pushed back against claims that the state failed to act. His office has said Walz has spent years strengthening oversight, launching investigations, closing facilities linked to fraud, hiring outside auditors, shutting down high-risk programs, and supporting criminal prosecutions.
Representative Ilhan Omar, Minnesota’s most prominent Somali American lawmaker, told CBS News that the fraud hurts the Somali community as well, noting that Somali Minnesotans are taxpayers who also lost potential benefits due to stolen funds.
Meanwhile, the federal response is intensifying. FBI Director Kash Patel confirmed that additional agents and resources have been deployed to Minnesota to dismantle what he described as large-scale fraud schemes exploiting federal programs.
As investigations continue, the Minnesota fraud cases are shaping up to be both a major legal battle and a defining political issue heading into the next phase of Trump’s presidency.
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