White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt confirmed Monday night that the Department of Justice has opened an investigation into Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz, focusing on what he knew — and when — about the massive public welfare fraud scandals that have engulfed the state. The probe follows years of mounting revelations involving alleged misuse of taxpayer funds across multiple state-administered programs.
Appearing on Fox News with Jesse Watters, Leavitt addressed Walz’s abrupt decision to suspend his re-election campaign just days after an investigative report on fraud in Minnesota’s childcare system went viral. Walz has acknowledged the scale of the fraud but accused independent journalists and the Trump administration of attempting to “exploit” vulnerable communities — a claim Leavitt forcefully rejected.
“This is a man who can no longer even win the support of voters in his own state because his policies have failed them,” Leavitt said. She argued that Minnesota’s reputation has been severely damaged by unchecked corruption, blaming leadership failures for allowing widespread fraud to flourish under state oversight.
Leavitt noted that federal authorities have already secured dozens of convictions tied to the scandals and continue to file new charges, with indictments as recent as December 19. She then confirmed that the DOJ is actively examining the extent of Walz’s knowledge and involvement as part of what she described as a coordinated, government-wide response.