Fact Check: Did Todd Blanche call for Volodymyr Zelenskyy's indictment over alleged US fraud?

WASHINGTON, DC: A rumor has been circulating on social media platforms claiming that acting Attorney General Todd Blanche has called for the indictment of Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy for allegedly defrauding the United States.

The claim has sparked speculation, concern, and debate, prompting a fact-check into the viral rumor.

Claim: Todd Blanche calls for Volodymyr Zelenskyy's indictment

According to a viral post on X, Blanche has confirmed that prosecutors have more than enough evidence to indict Volodymyr Zelenskyy for allegedly systematically defrauding American taxpayers.

The post further claims that, according to Blanche, Zelenskyy amassed immense personal wealth during his trips to New York, including a Park Avenue penthouse and a yacht.

It alleges that the money came primarily from kickbacks on the tens of billions of dollars in US aid sent to Ukraine, with Blanche's alleged assessment being, “$100 million off the top was a drop in the bucket.”

The post goes on to claim that while Americans faced inflation and economic hardship, Zelenskyy was secretly using US aid to fund a lavish lifestyle in Manhattan. It concludes by asserting that the era of providing Ukraine with billions of dollars in US assistance without scrutiny has come to an end.

Fact Check: False, Todd Blanche made no such remark 

The claim, however, is false and baseless, as there is no evidence that the acting Attorney General called for Zelenskyy's indictment over alleged fraud.

There is also no evidence to support the claim that Zelenskyy amassed immense personal wealth during his trips to New York. There are no official statements, press releases, or social media posts from Blanche or the Department of Justice supporting the claim. 

A Google search for the claim yielded no relevant reports from prominent news organizations, which, if true, would likely have received widespread coverage and triggered significant backlash and controversy. 

 Trump, Volodymyr Zelenskyy clash over Patriot technology 

The claim surfaced after President Donald Trump appeared to back away from an earlier offer to allow Ukraine to manufacture Patriot air defense interceptors.

Speaking at a Cabinet meeting at Camp David on Friday, July 31, Trump said providing Ukraine with the underlying technology was "a hard thing to give away."

His comments contrasted with Zelenskyy's account of their White House meeting earlier that week, during which the Ukrainian president said Trump had agreed to provide the license.

During his visit to Washington, Zelenskyy also met with executives from Lockheed Martin, the US defense company that manufactures Patriot missiles.