Vice President JD Vance attempted to deflect attention from his boss over the weekend after highlighting the administration's efforts to combat fraud during a stop in Maine on Thursday. In a social media post, Vance wrote that Maine residents were "fired up and ready to stop the fraudsters" who exploit federal programs, sharing a clip from his visit where he reflected on President Donald Trump tasking him with addressing America's "fraud problem."
"I realized that fraud isn't just about saving money, it's not just about protecting taxpayers. It's about protecting you," Vance said in a speech at Maine's Bangor International Airport.
While Vance portrays himself and the administration as crusaders against widespread fraud, critics have frequently accused Trump and his officials of using the federal government for personal gain and defrauding the American people. Trump's Justice Department has reportedly dropped hundreds of fraud cases and plans to dismiss a bribery case against a billionaire whose legal team is led by one of the president's personal attorneys.
Before leaving the Oval Office in 2021, Trump pardoned several healthcare executives convicted of fraud, described by one healthcare advocacy group CEO as "major, major crimes." In 2024, Trump was found liable for business fraud, facing a $350 million judgment in New York State Supreme Court.
The vice president's fraud fight hype video drew sharp criticism on social media. Sarah Longwell, founder of the anti-Trump conservative site The Bulwark, described the clip as a "kind of narrative jujitsu." Other users accused Vance and the administration of hypocrisy, with one stating, "You guys are literally the fraudsters. Trump was found liable for hundreds of millions of dollars in fraud." Another user called the administration "the most corrupt Executive Branch in modern history."
Critics also pointed out the irony of an anti-fraud campaign led by a figure associated with fraud, with comments like "The anti-fraud slop from the government led by a man known for his fraud is something" and "You work for the biggest fraudster in American history."
