President Donald Trump unveiled a new $25 million whistleblower incentive program Tuesday that will financially reward Americans who report fraud against the federal government, offering eligible tipsters a share of the money involved in cases that result in criminal charges.
The initiative, announced at the White House alongside Vice President JD Vance and members of the administrationโs fraud task force, is designed to encourage the public to identify suspected fraud involving taxpayer-funded programs.
Under the Fraud Whistleblower Incentive Program, individuals who provide information leading to criminal charges could receive a commission of one percent, according to Trump. The Department of Justice (DOJ) indicated that individual payments are expected to range from $10,000 to $30,000, with multiple whistleblowers potentially qualifying for rewards in the same case.
The administration is particularly interested in allegations involving hospice care, home health services, daycare operations, and special services programs.
โIf anybody turns anybody inโฆyou get a one percent commission,โ Trump told reporters in the Oval Office, arguing that fraud has cost American taxpayers enormous sums of money.
Vance emphasized that the program is intended to give ordinary Americans a financial incentive to assist federal investigators in identifying suspected wrongdoing.
โYour tax dollars are being stolen,โ Vance said. โIf you want to help us stop it, you get to share in the rewards now.โ
The vice president also claimed that approximately 99 percent of the suspected fraud identified by the White House Fraud Task Force falls outside the scope of the False Claims Act, which already provides financial incentives for certain whistleblowers. The administrationโs new initiative is intended to address that gap.
Independent journalist Nick Shirley attended the announcement and received recognition from Trump for his reporting on alleged fraud involving Somali โdaycareโ facilities in Minnesota.
Shirleyโs investigations, which focused in part on businesses operating within Minneapolisโ Somali community, attracted national attention and preceded federal enforcement activity targeting suspected fraud in the state.
White House Deputy Chief of Staff Stephen Miller also addressed the initiative, alleging that foreign nationals have been involved in schemes that improperly divert public funds.
Miller argued that American taxpayers have been forced to shoulder the financial burden of fraudulent government payments, including those allegedly obtained by refugees, illegal immigrants, and other foreign nationals.
The announcement represents another step in the administrationโs broader effort to investigate suspected misuse of federal funds.
Trump established the White House Fraud Task Force in March, placing Vance in charge of coordinating the administrationโs response. The DOJ subsequently created a dedicated division in August to investigate fraud targeting American taxpayers.
According to the White Houseโs fraud ledger, the task force has identified an estimated $260.7 billion in suspected fraud to date. That figure is an administration estimate and does not necessarily represent losses established through criminal convictions.
The new whistleblower program seeks to expand those investigations by encouraging members of the public to submit information that could lead to additional prosecutions.
