Politics
NEW: DOJ Launches Investigation Into Tim Walz After Trump Alleges Criminal Liability
White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt confirmed Monday night that the U.S. Department of Justice has opened an investigation into Minnesota Governor Tim Walz and the extent of his knowledge of the multi-billion-dollar public welfare fraud scandals plaguing the state.
While speaking with Fox News’ Jesse Watters, Leavitt reacted to Governor Walz’s shocking decision to suspend his re-election campaign just days after independent journalist Nick Shirley’s report on fraud in the state’s childcare sector went viral. Walz acknowledged the extend of the fraud before accusing Shirley and the Trump Administration of attempting to “exploit” the state’s “vulnerable” populations.
Leavitt rejected the former vice presidential nominee’s assertions by pointing to the impact fraud has had on the state’s image. “This is a man who can no longer even win the support of the voters within his home state because his policies have failed them. And now the great people of Minnesota, a state that was once known as the land of 10 ,000 lakes, has been turned into the land of 10 ,000 Somali schemes because of their governor,” she said.
The White House press secretary went on to note that the Justice Department has already secured dozens of convictions and continues to file charges, with the latest indictments coming as recently as December 19.
Leavitt then revealed that the DOJ is actively investigating Walz over the extent of his knowledge of the fraud schemes. “This is an all-hands-on-deck, across the entire government effort. We are surging resources. You saw today, the Department of Homeland Security announced we have nearly 2 ,000 agents from the Homeland Security Investigations Team. The FBI is on the ground. And we’re freezing money. HHS cut off funding for childcare centers and for daycares. USDA Secretary Rawlins has been asking Governor Walz to see the recipients of SNAP in his state,” she said.
Leavitt further noted that fraud in Minnesota, and beyond, is a “top priority” for the White House. “This is a top priority for President Trump, and he believes that Governor Walz is criminally liable, and I think the Department of Justice is going to find out.”
The fraud scandals in Minnesota primarily stem from the Feeding Our Future case, a nonprofit accused of stealing approximately $250 million from a federal child nutrition program during the COVID-19 pandemic by submitting false claims for meals that were never served. As of late 2025, federal authorities have charged 78 individuals in this scheme alone, with over 50 pleading guilty and several convicted at trial, including the organization’s founder.
Many of those charged are of Minnesota’s Somali community, which is the nation’s largest.
Broader investigations have expanded to 14 programs administered by the state, including Medicaid-funded services. Federal prosecutors have issued preliminary estimates suggesting that half or more of roughly $18 billion spent on these programs since 2018 may have been fraudulent, potentially totaling $9 billion or more in losses.
This includes allegations of billing for nonexistent services in childcare, housing stabilization, autism therapy, and other areas. A significant number of funds were transferred overseas, primarily to Somalia. Investigators are currently probing whether millions of dollars in taxpayer funds were wired to the Al Qaeda-linked al-Shabaab, which is active in the region.
Federal agencies, including the FBI recently surged resources to the state, with Director Kash Patel describing prior arrests as “just the tip of a very large iceberg.”
