President Trump recently launched a war on fraud, directing federal agencies to crack down on improper payments. He named VP Vance–dubbed the “Fraud Czar”–to lead a task force, claiming the recovered funds would be “country-changing,” lowering the deficit and taxes.

We aren’t fooled. Trump only cares about fraud when it’s committed by people he doesn’t like or don’t benefit him.

As the NYT reported, he has granted clemency to more than 70 allies, donors and associates convicted in fraud cases, wiping away more than $700 million in restitution and fines. The pace has accelerated in his second term, with more than 30 such pardons in the past year alone.

The pattern is clear. This isn’t about protecting taxpayers. It’s about deciding who gets a pass–and who doesn’t.

Trump commuted a 20-year sentence for a health care executive who fraudulently billed $1.3 billion to Medicare and Medicaid–programs his crackdown now claims to protect.

And when it comes to protecting taxpayers, the record raises more questions. The administration’s Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) claims major savings, yet a nonpartisan analysis found its actions may cost taxpayers roughly $135 billion this year.

And then there’s this: the president himself was convicted of fraud–34 felony counts for falsifying business records.

Week after week, Trump asks Americans to take him at his word, while his actions tell a different story. A war on fraud that rewards fraud isn’t reform. It’s selective justice.

Haven’t we had enough?

KAREN STOEHR

State College

Submitted by Virtual Newsroom