Trump Launches Fierce Crackdown: New Anti-Fraud Czar Vows No Mercy

Paul Riverbank, 1/29/2026Trump launches anti-fraud czar, vowing sweeping reforms amid massive scams and bipartisan scrutiny.

McDonald isn’t one of those names you spot in headlines every week, but people who pay close attention to public corruption cases might recognize his handiwork. Perhaps the most notorious chapter in his résumé unfolded in Hawaii: a police chief, a web of lies, and a setup that left one man’s reputation in tatters. The outcome there? Stolen funds spent on everything from top-shelf vehicles to eye-watering brunches—one of which apparently cost nearly $24,000.

Trump, never one to downplay the stakes, wasted little time declaring his expectations. On his social media, the president announced: “I am pleased to nominate Colin McDonald to serve as the first ever Assistant Attorney General for National FRAUD Enforcement, a new Division at the Department of Justice, which I created to catch and stop FRAUDSTERS that have been STEALING from the American People.” If that seems grandiose, consider the numbers floating around: fraud schemes in states such as Minnesota and California allegedly costing American taxpayers “Hundreds of Billions” according to Trump’s post. And the plan? Clean up the waste, close loopholes, put wrongdoers on notice.

JD Vance, now Vice President, offered what sounded more like an endorsement from a coach than a running mate. At the White House, he described McDonald as “thorough” and “highly competent,” with a knack for getting to the bottom of difficult prosecutions. The support didn’t end there. Attorney General Pam Bondi dialed in the praise too: “He is doing outstanding work at the Department of Justice and will continue to be an invaluable asset on our team... His experience makes him perfectly suited to help lead the charge on dismantling criminal fraud networks and halting the theft of taxpayer dollars.”

All these congratulatory notes come at a time when federal authorities are knee-deep in scams that sample broadly from the playbook of cybercrime. Take the recent ATM jackpotting bust: 87 suspects, a scoop of malware, and millions siphoned away. Quite a few of those arrested aren't American—some, investigators allege, have ties to Tren de Aragua, a notorious group out of Venezuela that the federal government is now explicitly calling a terrorist entity.

Zoom out and the problem grows. Reports coming in from multiple states, with Minnesota and California again leading the list, suggest that not just millions—but billions—may have found their way into the wrong hands through welfare fraud and mismanaged pandemic relief. The tentacles of some of these operations stretch far beyond U.S. borders—funds snaking their way to countries like Somalia and Venezuela.

For a bit of personal color, Robert Brewer, McDonald’s former boss in California, still recalls assigning him to the thorny Hawaii case years ago. “He was invaluable in resolving the case in a most favorable way,” Brewer said, calling McDonald exceedingly bright, impossibly dedicated, and a leader worthy of the public’s trust.

Yet no one expects the task ahead to be easy. Stealing from the government, as history shows, adapts with every new safeguard. The emerging fraud division at Main Justice will need to move quickly—rethinking old systems, collaborating with countless layers of local and federal bureaucracy, and devising fresh strategies to stay ahead of increasingly polished criminals.

A word of caution is already circulating: some suggest that political fortunes could reverse any gains. “If the Republicans lose the elections in 2026 and 2028, Colin McDonald and his new division will be shut down, no matter what they have achieved,” one observer wrote, reflecting on the persistent churn of D.C. initiatives.

For all the controversy that trails Trump’s administration, tackling fraud is one of those issues where the political divide narrows, at least on paper. American voters, increasingly cynical about government waste, are watching closely. The plan is bold, the mission is urgent—and the real test is yet to come. With McDonald at the helm, much depends on whether this experiment can produce lasting results, or whether it, too, gets caught in Washington’s revolving door of reforms.

For years, the bustling corridors of Washington have echoed with promises to rein in government fraud, but only in rare moments does a real shake-up take place. This week, President Trump rolled out just such a move, pushing the fight against fraud onto center stage with a fresh face—and a brand-new office to match. The man at the tip of the spear? Colin McDonald, recently tapped to become the country’s inaugural Assistant Attorney General for National Fraud Enforcement.McDonald isn’t one of those names you spot in headlines every week, but people who pay close attention to public corruption cases might recognize his handiwork. Perhaps the most notorious chapter in his résumé unfolded in Hawaii: a police chief, a web of lies, and a setup that left one man’s reputation in tatters. The outcome there? Stolen funds spent on everything from top-shelf vehicles to eye-watering brunches—one of which apparently cost nearly $24,000.Trump, never one to downplay the stakes, wasted little time declaring his expectations. On his social media, the president announced: “I am pleased to nominate Colin McDonald to serve as the first ever Assistant Attorney General for National FRAUD Enforcement, a new Division at the Department of Justice, which I created to catch and stop FRAUDSTERS that have been STEALING from the American People.” If that seems grandiose, consider the numbers floating around: fraud schemes in states such as Minnesota and California allegedly costing American taxpayers “Hundreds of Billions” according to Trump’s post. And the plan? Clean up the waste, close loopholes, put wrongdoers on notice.JD Vance, now Vice President, offered what sounded more like an endorsement from a coach than a running mate. At the White House, he described McDonald as “thorough” and “highly competent,” with a knack for getting to the bottom of difficult prosecutions. The support didn’t end there. Attorney General Pam Bondi dialed in the praise too: “He is doing outstanding work at the Department of Justice and will continue to be an invaluable asset on our team... His experience makes him perfectly suited to help lead the charge on dismantling criminal fraud networks and halting the theft of taxpayer dollars.”All these congratulatory notes come at a time when federal authorities are knee-deep in scams that sample broadly from the playbook of cybercrime. Take the recent ATM jackpotting bust: 87 suspects, a scoop of malware, and millions siphoned away. Quite a few of those arrested aren't American—some, investigators allege, have ties to Tren de Aragua, a notorious group out of Venezuela that the federal government is now explicitly calling a terrorist entity.Zoom out and the problem grows. Reports coming in from multiple states, with Minnesota and California again leading the list, suggest that not just millions—but billions—may have found their way into the wrong hands through welfare fraud and mismanaged pandemic relief. The tentacles of some of these operations stretch far beyond U.S. borders—funds snaking their way to countries like Somalia and Venezuela.For a bit of personal color, Robert Brewer, McDonald’s former boss in California, still recalls assigning him to the thorny Hawaii case years ago. “He was invaluable in resolving the case in a most favorable way,” Brewer said, calling McDonald exceedingly bright, impossibly dedicated, and a leader worthy of the public’s trust.Yet no one expects the task ahead to be easy. Stealing from the government, as history shows, adapts with every new safeguard. The emerging fraud division at Main Justice will need to move quickly—rethinking old systems, collaborating with countless layers of local and federal bureaucracy, and devising fresh strategies to stay ahead of increasingly polished criminals.A word of caution is already circulating: some suggest that political fortunes could reverse any gains. “If the Republicans lose the elections in 2026 and 2028, Colin McDonald and his new division will be shut down, no matter what they have achieved,” one observer wrote, reflecting on the persistent churn of D.C. initiatives.For all the controversy that trails Trump’s administration, tackling fraud is one of those issues where the political divide narrows, at least on paper. American voters, increasingly cynical about government waste, are watching closely. The plan is bold, the mission is urgent—and the real test is yet to come. With McDonald at the helm, much depends on whether this experiment can produce lasting results, or whether it, too, gets caught in Washington’s revolving door of reforms.