Donald Trump said vice-president JD Vance would lead a “war on fraud”, as he criticised the state of Minnesota, where governor Tim Walz last month dropped his bid for re-election over allegations of sprawling state welfare fraud.
Federal prosecutors have claimed scams, many involving Somali migrants, have occurred on a wider scale than previously thought. Trump zeroed in on Minnesota's Somali community during his speech.
Vance last month said the Department of Justice would create a new fraud section.
The announcement came after the DoJ disbanded units such as the national cryptocurrency enforcement team, which was set up under ex-president Joe Biden to focus on criminal misuse of digital assets including fraud and extortion.
Let me just put that in context. In January this year, The New York Times reported that:
The editorial board is a group of opinion journalists whose views are informed by expertise, research, debate and certain longstanding values. It is separate from the newsroom.
President Trump has never been a man to ask what he can do for his country. In his second term, as in his first, he is instead testing the limits of what his country can do for him.
He has poured his energy and creativity into the exploitation of the presidency — into finding out just how much money people, corporations and other nations are willing to put into his pockets in hopes of bending the power of the government to the service of their interests.
A review by the editorial board relying on analyses from news organizations shows that Mr. Trump has used the office of the presidency to make at least $1.4 billion. We know this number to be an underestimate because some of his profits remain hidden from public view. And they continue to grow.
What we have on display here are two classic fascist techniques.
One is accusing your enemy of what you are actually doing.
The second is of straightforward distraction.
Both have been known for a long time. No one should fall for them.
We are becoming accustomed to misconduct in public office in the UK at present. It would appear to be happening all around us, but I doubt if anyone has done it so blatantly as Trump in the whole history of humankind.
My question is, will he and his family be stripped of this wealth in one day? And if not, why not?
Buy me a coffee!
If you were in charge would you strip Trump and his family (down to the third generation perhaps) of their wealth? A communist would entertain that idea so I’m guessing yes.
I would strip anyone of corrupt gains. That is what the law should and does require. why would you object to that? Is your politics one that supports criminality? My centre ground politics does not.
Should countries have laws to enable criminals to be stripped of the proceeds of crime?
The UK does, and it is quite hard work.
https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/2002/29/contents
I can’t think of a reason why we WOULDN’T want criminals to be stripped of the proceeds of crime.
Why do you think people should have the right to unlimited wealth? Such a situation is clearly detrimental for the vast majority of people. Greed should be checked, it is fundamentally harmful to society.
And for clarity: I am a communist anarchist. Richard is a liberal. I still like him though 🙂
[…] I have already noted this morning, elsewhere, is that what we have on display here are two classic fascist […]
Might a another diversion/reality avoidance technique be the entertainment emphasis put into the reporting/distorting accounts of deep, mutiple corruptions here and abroad by a cartel like main stream media?
Distraction. He claimed a “golden age of America”, and the economy was “roaring like never before”
This is Trump’s USA.
A two-child household must earn $400,000 a year for childcare to be affordable, study says. ‘It’s easy to see why birth rates are falling’
https://fortune.com/2026/02/22/two-child-household-income-400000-childcare-affordability-crisis-cost-of-living/
Most people can’t afford Trump’s version of economic success.
Agreed