The Trump administration plans to establish a new assistant attorney general position dedicated to overseeing fraud investigations, according to Vice President JD Vance. This initiative aims to draw attention to alleged social services fraud in states governed by Democrats.
Vance stated that the Senate-confirmed role will “have nationwide jurisdiction over the issue of fraud.” Untraditionally, the supervision of this official will fall under President Donald Trump and Vance, rather than the Justice Department. Vance indicated that the nominee would likely be announced in the coming days.
“This is the person who is going to make sure that we stop defrauding the American people,” Vance remarked during a press briefing at the White House.
The appointee is expected to serve for the duration of the Trump administration, Vance added. Traditionally, presidents have maintained a degree of separation from the Justice Department to avoid the perception of political interference; however, Trump has deviated from this norm by exerting direct control over the department and urging it to take action against his critics.
Vance’s announcement comes amid rising scrutiny over a controversial incident in Minneapolis, where an Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officer fatally shot a female driver; the event was captured on video and circulated widely online. The operation that led to the shooting was part of a broader initiative by the Trump administration to investigate allegations of federal social service program fraud involving Somali immigrants.
Trump and his supporters have leveraged these fraud claims to argue that Democrats have mishandled immigration policy and federal funds. While Vance and Trump have characterized the shooting as an act of self-defense, video evidence does not clearly support that assertion. The footage shows a Honda Pilot blocking a road as agents attempted to approach. As one agent tried to open the door, the vehicle appeared to back up slightly. Another agent then approached from the front and fired at the driver as the vehicle began to move.
Local officials, including Minnesota Governor Tim Walz, have criticized ICE’s actions as reckless and condemned the federal government for escalating tensions through the operation. In response, Vance dismissed these concerns, labeling Walz as “a joke.” He accused the governor of enabling and potentially participating in fraud, suggesting that the new assistant attorney general position would investigate such claims.
