White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt on Monday said President Donald Trump believes Gov. Tim Walz (D-MN) is “criminally liable” for the extensive fraud scandal that Minnesota is facing.
Leavitt’s statement confirms speculation that the federal government is weighing whether to hold Walz responsible for his alleged mishandling of the fraud investigations in his state.
“This is all hands on deck, rest assured. It’s a top priority for President Trump,” she said on Fox News show Jesse Watters Primetime. “He believes that Gov. Walz is criminally liable, and I think the Department of Justice is going to find out.”
Earlier Monday, Trump suggested Walz would leave office before his second term ends early next year “because he was caught, REDHANDED, along with Ilhan Omar, and others of his Somali friends, stealing Tens of Billions of Taxpayer Dollars.” The president said he felt “certain the facts will come out.”
Trump’s statement was in response to Walz’s decision to prematurely end his reelection campaign. Leavitt attributed his campaign exit to the widespread allegations of fraud involving his administration.
“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,” she added. “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.”
As the Trump administration leads multiple investigations into alleged fraud in Minnesota’s social services programs, various federal agencies are taking action; the Department of Health and Human Services froze child care payments going to Somali-run day care centers in the state, and the Department of Agriculture ordered the state to verify households receiving federal food benefits in an attempt to root out fraud.
TRUMP TO DEPLOY 2,000 ICE OFFICERS TO MINNEAPOLIS AS FRAUD INVESTIGATION WIDENS
Meanwhile, federal law enforcement is leading an expanded immigration operation in the Minneapolis area. The Department of Homeland Security is deploying up to 2,000 immigration and investigative personnel to the city, with Leavitt confirming the figure to Fox News host Jesse Watters.
The White House press secretary noted that the Department of Justice has convicted and prosecuted nearly 100 defendants in Minnesota so far, hinting that there may be more charges forthcoming for others based on additional reporting.
