Trump roasts Minnesota Gov Tim Walz on national TV, alleges massive fraud involving Somali groups

WASHINGTON, DC: President Donald Trump unloaded on Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz while speaking to reporters aboard Air Force One on Sunday, January 4, tying him to what he described as massive fraud involving state-run federal programs.

The President’s remarks came amid ongoing investigations into alleged misuse of federal funds in Minnesota, particularly within social services and child nutrition initiatives. Trump cited figures running into billions and repeatedly pointed to Somali groups as central to the alleged schemes.

Trump tears into Tim Walz and the Somali community

When asked about the investigations, Trump ripped into Walz and offered a blunt assessment of the Democrat governor. “This very stupid, low-IQ governor. He’s a very stupid man because you know I had a campaign against him with JD. And he’s a stupid man, and he’s a corrupt politician,” Trump said, referencing debates between Walz and Trump’s 2024 running mate, JD Vance.

Trump linked Walz to the alleged financial losses tied to Minnesota’s administration of federal programs. “The Somalians are ripping off our country to the tune of, looks like $19 billion, but that’s only what they can find. So usually when you’re looking at 19, that would mean it could be 50. But the numbers are astronomical,” he said.

Trump then slammed Somalia itself, which he described as “a dead country.” “They don’t have government. They don’t have anything. They don’t have a military,” he said. “All that they do is run around shooting people and trying to capture ships, you know.”

Trump then pointed to US military action against piracy. “We don’t let them take ships anymore, you know why? We use the same exact missile on them that was used on drug carriers, and it’s very effective. You notice there’s nobody capturing ships anymore? Because as they head out to capture the ship, and the ship doesn’t want to fire back because it’s very flammable stuff in many cases.”

“The insurance companies don’t want this because you know they’ve built a billion-dollar ship and they don’t want anybody firing rockets into this ship, but we’re hitting them so hard, and its very similar same missile system is called deadly accurate, and you notice that ships aren’t being taken anymore, the pirates, there are no Somali pirates," he bragged.

“It’s actually very easy, they head out, we say guess what, there is a pirate, and then bing, that’s the end of the pirates,” Trump quipped.

What the fraud investigations involve

The investigations Trump referenced center on Minnesota’s handling of federal aid programs, most notably the Feeding Our Future nonprofit, which federal prosecutors have described as the largest pandemic relief fraud scheme in US history.

The case initially involved roughly $250 million in misappropriated funds intended for child nutrition programs during the COVID-19 pandemic. Since then, prosecutors say the scope has widened exorbitantly.

Authorities now estimate total fraud across related Minnesota programs could exceed $9 billion. As of this writing, 98 defendants have been charged, 85 of whom are of Somali descent, with 64 convictions secured.

According to prosecutors, the schemes relied on fabricated invoices and falsified meal counts for services that were never provided. The stolen funds were allegedly funneled through shell companies and used for personal purchases, including luxury vehicles and real estate.

The issue gained renewed attention after a viral video by YouTuber Nick Shirley alleged fraud in Somali-run childcare centers.

Federal response and Walz's pushback

In response to the exposé, the Trump administration froze federal child care funding to Minnesota and dispatched additional federal agents to the state.

The White House defended the move in a statement. “President Donald J Trump and his Administration are unleashing a relentless assault to dismantle the massive fraud empires built in Minnesota under the watch of incompetent Democrats like Tim Walz and his Radical Left enablers," it said.

Walz has pushed back against Trump’s claims, insisting his administration has taken the issue seriously.

“We’ve spent years cracking down on fraudsters. It’s a serious issue - but this has been his plan all along. He’s politicizing the issue to defund programs that help Minnesotans,” the governor said.

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