Minnesota’s governor used a late-night television appearance to push back against mounting criticism over a massive fraud scandal, arguing the controversy has been weaponized for political gain.
According to Fox News, during an interview with Jimmy Kimmel, Tim Walz dismissed the idea that the situation in his state was unique, while also taking aim at President Donald Trump and Republican critics.
The conversation turned to allegations of widespread fraud tied to pandemic-era programs, including the high-profile “Feeding Our Future” case.
“Mixed into all this is this — these multiple cases of benefits fraud that were happening,” Kimmel said. “Now, I want to ask you: Did it take an extraordinarily long time for you to know that that was happening? Is that just something that has been spread?”
Walz rejected the premise and pivoted to criticism of Trump.
“It happens in other states. We were going back — many of these people were prosecuted in 2021. He used it as an excuse because it was a perfect thing to do to say there was fraud. Imagine that — you know, coming from this guy, he would know fraud where it was at.”
Kimmel added his own jab, referring to Trump as “Sigmund Fraud.”
Walz then argued the issue had been used to target specific communities.
“Demonize immigrant communities, especially the Somali community,” Walz said. “And I said what he was doing was — the programs in Minnesota, look, we are a generous state. We’re also, like California, we’re a payer state. We pay more in than we get back to support ‘red’ states that don’t support their people. But, they came in to try and destroy those programs and, you know, that’s again rich, destroy programs that don’t help them by billionaires who commit this fraud. But no, it was an excuse for them to do it. Thank goodness the people of Minnesota showed the courage, stood up and pushed back,”
The fraud scandal has drawn national attention in recent months, with federal authorities alleging that billions of dollars in taxpayer funds may have been improperly obtained through various programs, including child nutrition and Medicaid-related initiatives.
Authorities said in December the total fraud could exceed $9 billion, a figure Walz and other state officials have disputed.
Kimmel also asked whether the controversy influenced Walz’s decision not to seek another term as governor.
“No. And I think for me, look, two terms is probably enough. I think we get enough of people making careers out of this. Just candidly, Minnesota had a pretty tough year. In June of last year, we finished a legislative session—we’re evenly divided, 67-67 in the House, 35-34 in the Senate—but the most extraordinary politician and person I ever worked with was Melissa Hortman, who was gunned down in June of last year,” Walz said.
He continued, “She and I were partners in doing this work, or whatever. And then the Annunciation shooting… and I think it just kind of got to the point—the fraud stuff on that, Republicans run it up, they put money in it. I just, it was most important for me that we hold the seat with a progressive Democrat, which we will do now. And so, a lot of things went into it, and I’ve got other things I think I can add.”
Hortman and her husband were killed in Brooklyn Park in June 2025, according to police, in a case that added to what Walz described as a difficult year for the state.
As scrutiny over the fraud allegations continues, Walz’s remarks signal that the political battle over the issue is far from over.
