Trump Claims Fraud Probe of California Is Underway Following Minnesota Controversy

One day after Minnesota Governor Tim Walz announced he would not seek reelection, President Donald Trump shifted his attention westward and leveled new accusations at California and Governor Gavin Newsom. Speaking through his social media platform, Truth Social, Trump claimed California is “more corrupt than Minnesota” and declared that a federal investigation into fraud in the state had officially begun.

“California, under Governor Gavin Newscum, is more corrupt than Minnesota, if that’s possible??? The Fraud Investigation of California has begun,” Trump wrote in a post Tuesday morning.

The move came just hours after headlines focused on Minnesota’s own growing scandal involving alleged abuse of public programs, particularly a long-running investigation into fraudulent childcare and nonprofit activities involving tens of millions in taxpayer funds. The controversy, which has been under the microscope for months, led to increased pressure on Governor Walz, who was also the Democratic nominee for vice president in 2024. He surprised many political observers by stepping aside from the 2025 gubernatorial race, citing the intense political climate and what he described as efforts to weaponize the fraud case against him.

While Walz framed the investigation as a partisan attack, saying Republicans were trying to make Minnesota “a colder, meaner place,” GOP leaders pushed back, saying the accusations were too serious to ignore. On Capitol Hill, several Republican lawmakers argued that the Minnesota situation is a warning sign about poor oversight and mismanagement in Democrat-led states.

Trump, who has been vocal about alleged government waste in blue states, used Walz’s announcement to widen his criticism. In a follow-up post, Trump accused the Minnesota governor of being “caught, redhanded” in what he called “a massive scheme involving tens of billions of taxpayer dollars.” He then warned that similar problems were brewing in California.

The president’s remarks about California tap into long-standing conservative criticism of the state’s leadership. Republicans have often pointed to high taxes, rising homelessness, and massive spending on public programs as signs that California’s government is overextended and mismanaged. Governor Newsom has frequently clashed with conservative leaders, defending his policies and rejecting accusations of corruption.