Trump Warns of Deep-Rooted Fraud in Minnesota as Questions Swirl Around Omar

WASHINGTON — President Donald J. Trump lit into Democrat leadership in Minnesota this weekend, declaring that the scope of fraud in the state’s social services system is far greater than earlier estimates and directly tying the scandal to what he called “decades of political corruption” under Democrats. In a Truth Social post on Saturday, the president said the total losses from fraud in Minnesota “exceed $19 billion,” far beyond initial projections, and accused the Biden administration of ignoring the issue.

“The Theft and Fraud in Minnesota is far greater than the 19 Billion Dollars originally projected,” Trump wrote, alleging that Democrats in Minnesota — including Rep. Ilhan Omar and Gov. Tim Walz — failed to protect taxpayers from widespread exploitation of state and federal programs. Trump said Washington knew it was happening and “did absolutely nothing about it.”

Trump’s post didn’t shy away from personal criticism of Rep. Ilhan Omar, the Minnesota Democrat and frequent Trump target. Trump claimed that federal authorities, including the Department of Justice and Congress, are reviewing Omar’s finances amid reports of a dramatic increase in her personal wealth — a claim she blasted as politically motivated.

Omar responded sharply, accusing Trump of “deflecting from his own failures” and dismissing the accusations as part of a broader campaign to score political points. “Years of ‘investigations’ have found nothing,” Omar wrote online, rejecting claims tying her to the expanding fraud probe.

In his post, Trump also took aim at Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz, questioning his competence and integrity. While Walz has faced pressure over the scandal for months, long before Trump’s renewed focus, Trump’s blunt language underscores how central the issue has become to the national debate over crime, welfare abuse, and governance.

Walz has defended state efforts to combat fraud, arguing that Minnesota’s generosity has been exploited by bad actors — and acknowledging that rooting out abuse within the system is an ongoing priority. He has also rejected claims that the president’s rhetoric is helpful in addressing the problem.

The fraud controversy dates back several years and includes multiple schemes involving social services programs. Notably, the Feeding Our Future case — a COVID-era child nutrition program that turned out to be a massive fraud operation — has become emblematic of the challenges Minnesota has faced in policing welfare spending.

Federal prosecutors have charged dozens of individuals in related schemes and continue to expand investigations into claims of financial abuse across state-administered programs. While estimates of total losses vary widely and far less than $19 billion have been established in court filings, Trump’s comments amplify the sense of crisis among conservatives who see the scandal as symbolic of Democratic mismanagement and lax oversight.

The debate over fraud in Minnesota has quickly transcended routine criminal enforcement and become a flashpoint in the broader culture wars. For Trump and his supporters, the issue encapsulates concerns about border security, immigration enforcement, and what they describe as “woke governance” that prioritizes ideology over law and order.

Critics argue that Trump’s rhetoric has inflamed tensions and unfairly targeted immigrant communities, including Somali Americans — a key constituency in Minnesota — and that linking individual lawmakers like Omar to fraud allegations without evidence is politically reckless.

As investigations continue and political rhetoric escalates, Minnesota’s welfare fraud scandal is poised to be a defining issue in the 2026 election cycle, shaping debates over accountability, federal versus state oversight, and the integrity of public assistance systems.