President Donald Trump on Wednesday announced the nomination of a veteran federal prosecutor to lead a new Justice Department unit focused on fraud, as the administration looks to refocus attention on the justification for its immigration crackdown in Minnesota that has grown increasingly unpopular.
Trump, in a post on his Truth Social platform, nominated Colin McDonald as “assistant attorney general for national fraud enforcement,” a role that requires Senate approval.
“My Administration has uncovered Fraud schemes in States like Minnesota and California, where these thieves have stolen Hundreds of Billions of Taxpayer Dollars,” the president said.
“Colin McDonald is a very Smart, Tough, and Highly Respected AMERICA FIRST Federal Prosecutor who has successfully delivered Justice in some of the most difficult and high stakes cases our Country has ever seen,” Trump added in the post.
The White House did not immediately respond to a request for comment Wednesday night.
Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche in a post praised McDonald as “a rockstar, who was instrumental in our team’s mission of Making America Safe Again.”
Trump and his allies had been highlighting instances of fraud in social-service programs in Minnesota and other Democratic-led states. But the administration’s aggressive immigration enforcement campaign in Minneapolis, and the deaths of two U.S. citizens in confrontations with federal officers, have undermined that messaging.
Trump indicated he’ll direct the new fraud czar to target Democratic-controlled states like Minnesota and California, creating a potential new battle line as the midterm elections approach.
Vice President JD Vance told reporters earlier this month about the position. Vance added that the official would be supervised not by the Justice Department, but by Trump and himself, a highly unusual arrangement.
Traditionally, presidents have sought to keep their distance from the Justice Department to avoid the perception of political interference in law enforcement investigations. Trump has done away with that practice.