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Trump says anti-fraud efforts are uncovering billions in waste, claims savings could balance budget
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President Donald Trump on Wednesday touted Vice President JD Vance’s anti-fraud efforts and claimed Republicans are uncovering enough government fraud to potentially balance the federal budget, while accusing Democrats of resisting investigations because they are «in on the act.»
In a Truth Social post, Trump praised Vance and Republican officials for what he described as a nationwide effort to identify fraud and waste in government spending.
«Vice President JD Vance and Republicans are doing a great job hunting down Fraud in the various States,» Trump wrote. «Billions of Dollars is being found, and we’ve just started!»
Trump’s comments come as the administration has sought to highlight anti-fraud efforts led by Vance. In April, Fox News Digital reported that Vance’s newly created anti-fraud task force had identified nearly $6.3 billion in government contracts believed to be tied to potentially fraudulent businesses.
Officials said nearly 400 businesses would be required to prove they had legitimate operations and physical addresses.
JD VANCE’S TASK FORCE FLAGS NEARLY $6.3B IN GOVERNMENT CONTRACTS GOING TO POTENTIALLY FRAUDULENT BUSINESSES
Vance says anti-fraud funding will be cut to states that don’t respond to Medicaid letters. (Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images, File)
The president argued that the amount of fraud being uncovered could have major implications for federal spending and taxes.
«If we found it all, we would literally be able to balance the Budget, and simultaneously reduce Taxes, cutting them even more than I have already done, which is a RECORD!» Trump wrote.
Trump did not provide evidence that fraud findings identified by Republicans would be sufficient to eliminate the federal deficit. While the president argued uncovering fraud could eventually balance the budget, the administration has not publicly released figures showing identified fraud totals approaching the size of the annual federal deficit.
BESSENT SAYS MINNESOTA FRAUD RECOVERY COULD HELP FUND TRUMP’S $1.5T DEFENSE PLAN
President Donald Trump speaks before signing an executive order on a task force on fraud in the Oval Office with Vice President JD Vance. (Julia Demaree Nikhinson/AP Photo, File)
The anti-fraud task force was established by executive order in March, and is chaired by Vance. The administration has said the initiative is designed to identify fraud, waste and abuse across federal programs and government contracts as part of a broader effort to reduce spending and strengthen oversight.
Trump also sharply criticized Democrats, saying he was surprised efforts to uncover fraud had not received bipartisan support.
«Amazingly, Dumocrats are fighting us all the way,» Trump wrote. «This is something that I am surprised at, because I thought this would be a Bipartisan effort.»
JD VANCE WARNS BLUE STATE OFFICIALS COULD FACE PRISON OVER BILLION-DOLLAR FRAUD EPIDEMIC
Vance’s anti-fraud efforts have received praise from Trump. (Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images, File)
Trump went on to suggest Democrats may oppose such investigations because they have a vested interest in preventing further discoveries.
«It’s looking like they’re in on the act,» Trump wrote.
The president further claimed Democrats do not want Republicans to uncover what he described as «Hundreds of Billions of Dollars of FRAUD!»
Trump later compared Democratic opposition to anti-fraud efforts with several other issues that have become central themes of his political messaging, including transgender athletes competing in women’s sports, mail-in ballots, voter identification requirements and proof-of-citizenship requirements for voting.
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The administration has made rooting out waste, fraud and abuse a recurring focus of its messaging as it seeks to reduce government spending and defend broader fiscal policy initiatives.
Democrats have argued Republicans frequently conflate fraud, waste and policy disagreements when discussing federal spending reductions and have questioned whether projected savings touted by the administration can ultimately be realized.
donald trump, jd vance, republicans elections, deficit, democrats, minnesota fraud exposed, politics
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El Gobierno de Guatemala inaugura el puente El Jícaro sobre el río Motagua tras 14 años de espera
El puente El Jícaro sobre el río Motagua fue inaugurado en El Progreso tras 14 años de espera y dará una conexión permanente con la ruta CA-9 Norte para 34.214 habitantes, con el objetivo de reducir el aislamiento, mejorar los traslados durante todo el año y facilitar el acceso a comercio, salud y educación, según el Ministerio de Comunicaciones, Infraestructura y Vivienda y el Fondo Social de Solidaridad.
La obra requirió una inversión de Q130.014.841,75, después de que el proyecto iniciara en 2022 con 116 millones, de acuerdo con la información oficial. El Gobierno de Guatemala indicó que la ejecución enfrentó cinco suspensiones antes de concluir en 2026.
El nuevo paso vehicular está ubicado en el ingreso principal al municipio de El Jícaro y enlaza con la CA-9 Norte en el kilómetro 98, una de las rutas principales del país, según el CIV. Esa conexión permitirá el traslado de personas y mercancías con una vía estable incluso en temporada de lluvias.
La estructura se ubica entre las más grandes construidas recientemente en Guatemala
El Gobierno de Guatemala afirmó que el puente se posiciona como uno de los cinco más grandes del país. La infraestructura tiene una longitud total de 440 metros, e incluye rampas de ingreso y salida.
La estructura tiene un ancho total de 10 metros y dos carriles vehiculares de cuatro metros de ancho cada uno, además de banquetas peatonales a ambos lados, según el detalle técnico difundido por el FSS. También cuenta con señalización horizontal y vertical para ordenar la circulación.
Entre los componentes constructivos figuran vigas de acero estructural, losa metálica y carpeta de rodadura de concreto reforzado. El diseño incorpora pilas de concreto reforzado con geometría hidrodinámica y cimentaciones profundas mediante pilotes de perfiles H de acero estructural, de acuerdo con la descripción oficial.
El proyecto incluye cinco tramos estructurales de 42 metros cada uno. Según el CIV, ese conjunto fue diseñado para garantizar transitabilidad permanente durante las distintas estaciones del año.
La respuesta directa al problema histórico de la zona es concreta: las familias de El Jícaro ya no dependerán de canoas ni de las condiciones climáticas para cruzar el Motagua, porque el nuevo puente habilita un paso seguro y continuo hacia trabajos, centros educativos, servicios de salud y mercados, según la información oficial.
Durante años, en época de lluvia, muchos vecinos debían cruzar el río en embarcaciones precarias para llegar a sus actividades cotidianas. El Gobierno sostuvo que esa situación exponía a la población a riesgos de seguridad y limitaba la movilidad del municipio.
El impacto económico también forma parte del objetivo de la obra. Según el CIV, el puente favorecerá el transporte de productos agrícolas y comerciales, reducirá tiempos de traslado y mejorará la competitividad de productores, comerciantes, estudiantes y trabajadores de las comunidades cercanas.
El coordinador ejecutivo del Fondo Social de Solidaridad, Luis Rivera, explicó que la terminación del proyecto implicó resolver obstáculos ajenos a la obra misma. “Este proyecto fue un verdadero reto, debido a los derechos de paso, pero sin duda reactivarlo fue una de las mejores labores que se han realizado para llegar hasta donde estamos ahora. Por ello, el FSS se concentró en culminar el proyecto para darle continuidad de paso y desarrollo al pueblo”.
Desde la comunidad, Carlos Sandoval, representante de Las Ovejas, vinculó la inauguración con una demanda sostenida durante años. “Valió la pena tanta lucha, tanto esfuerzo. Hoy llega a ustedes el resultado de esa espera. Agradecemos a los señores del Gobierno, al CIV y al FSS, quienes resolvieron favorablemente las gestiones para desarrollar este proyecto. El Jícaro hoy disfruta de esta fiesta principal. Agradecemos por permitirnos vivir este momento y disfrutar de este puente”.
Geovany Safaroli, representante de la empresa encargada de la construcción, también describió las dificultades del proceso y atribuyó la continuidad del proyecto al respaldo oficial. “Este proyecto fue difícil, porque con el cambio de proyecto se pensó que no iba a haber apoyo, pero gracias a Dios, el presidente de la República giró instrucciones para que el CIV respaldara incondicionalmente. Agradecemos el apoyo del Gobierno, el sacrificio y la paciencia de la población”.
puente de concreto,puente,infraestructura,conectividad,montañas,rural,comunidad,caminantes,construcción,desarrollo
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President Donald Trump’s pick to lead the Department of Justice is already facing headwinds among Senate Republicans that could derail, or outright torpedo, his confirmation process.
And the process to either confirm or deny acting Attorney General Todd Blanche to replace former Attorney General Pam Bondi is already underway in the Senate, with Trump officially sending his nomination to the upper chamber on Monday.
Blanche’s involvement in the controversial, now-defunct $2 billion anti-weaponization fund, and his actions surrounding the Jan. 6 Capitol Hill rioters are two key breaking points for some Senate Republicans.
TRUMP EYES NEXT ATTORNEY GENERAL AS KEY GOP SENATOR SIGNALS POTENTIAL ROADBLOCK
Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche arrives for a House Appropriations Commerce, Justice, Science, and Related Agencies Committee Subcommittee hearing in the Rayburn Building in Washington, D.C., on June 2, 2026. (Tom Williams/CQ-Roll Call, Inc.)
His first challenge will be getting through the Senate Judiciary Committee, where Sen. Thom Tillis, R-N.C., could be the pivotal vote that would make or break his confirmation.
Tillis was vehemently opposed to the anti-weaponization fund, going so far as to offer an amendment to divert the money to the nation’s anti-fraud fund and voting with Senate Democrats every step of the way to ensure there was no chance the move could be made again.
But for Tillis, Blanche’s comments and actions about the Jan. 6 rioters are his main «circuit breaker.»
«They better not have said for one minute that the people who beat up police officers, like these right down here, were righteous people,» Tillis said. «You come even close to saying that, you don’t have a [chance] of getting my vote in Judiciary.»
WATCH: DEM SENATOR SNAPS AFTER ACTING AG BLANCHE ACCUSES HIM OF ‘OBVIOUSLY LYING’ IN HEATED EXCHANGE
The skepticism about Blanche, who previously served as Trump’s personal lawyer before making the leap to the DOJ, extends beyond Tillis among those in the GOP. And he’ll receive no quarter from Senate Democrats, either in committee or during a confirmation vote.
Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., accused Blanche of both shielding Trump from legal consequences and using «the justice system to go after his boss’ political enemies, bringing baseless charges against the Southern Poverty Law Center, Jim Comey, and others.»
«Trump and Blanche are cut from the same crooked cloth,» Schumer said.
Senate Majority Leader John Thune, R-S.D., said it was «hard to say» whether Blanche would have the votes to be confirmed.
TODD BLANCHE ‘HONORED AND HUMBLED’ BY TRUMP’S AG NOMINATION AFTER EXPLOSIVE WEEK OF FEDERAL ARRESTS
Sen. Thom Tillis, R-N.C., questions Federal Reserve Chairman Jerome Powell during the Senate Banking, Housing and Urban Affairs Committee hearing on the Semiannual Monetary Policy Report to Congress in the Dirksen building on June 25, 2025. (Tom Williams/CQ-Roll Call, Inc.)
«I think obviously most of our members are pretty deferential to who the president wants in these key positions,» Thune said. «He’s already serving in the role and clearly has experience in it. But this is an environment where nothing is a safe or sure bet.»
Senate Judiciary Chair Chuck Grassley, R-Iowa, announced that the committee had received the nomination Monday afternoon.
Grassley said he «worked well» with Blanche and has appreciated «his commitment to transparency and support for law enforcement.»
«Blanche is well-qualified and has shown his dedication to restoring law and order across our country,» Grassley said in a statement. «The Senate Judiciary Committee’s work to process Blanche’s nomination is underway.»
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Several Republicans were furious over the anti-weaponization fund, and berated Blanche behind closed doors last month over how it would operate, and whether Jan. 6 rioters would have access to the taxpayer money.
How much of a hand he had in that move could also determine his success in a Senate confirmation vote should he make it through the Senate Judiciary Committee.
«I think it’s gonna come down to the extent of his involvement in this weaponization fund,» Sen. Lisa Murkowski, R-Alaska, said.
politics, pam bondi, chuck grassley, senate elections, donald trump
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