Trump Calls Vance the ‘Fraud Czar.’ Here’s What We Know About the Role

President Trump announced Friday that Vice President J.D. Vance will serve as the country's "fraud czar," tasked with leading an anti-fraud task force established by executive order on March 16. Trump claimed fraud is "massive and pervasive" in the U.S. and said the effort will focus on "Blue States" like California, Minnesota, Illinois, and New York, asserting that success could help balance the federal budget—though he provided no evidence. Vance has already held the task force's first meeting and overseen actions including the suspension of over 200 hospice and health care providers in California and the freezing of federal childcare funding in Minnesota. The White House has also appointed Colin McDonald as Assistant Attorney General for National Fraud Enforcement, sworn in Wednesday, to report directly to Vance and Trump. Both Democratic governors targeted by these fraud crackdowns have said their states have long worked to combat fraud and noted Trump has previously pardoned individuals convicted on fraud charges.