President Donald Trump has alleged that Minnesota’s child nutrition programs may be experiencing as much as $19 billion in welfare fraud and vowed that a thorough federal investigation is underway. Speaking publicly, Trump warned that the probe is “very deep” and emphasized that other states, including California, could have even larger cases of misappropriated funds.

The president’s remarks come amid ongoing efforts by his administration to identify and curb government waste, particularly in federally funded social programs. Trump stated, “The other thing we can't lose sight of is you probably have, in Minnesota — and it's worse in some places, like California — $19B in fraud, and we're going to find out. We're very deep into that investigation. We're not going to forget that.”

This claim references the Feeding Our Future scandal, a multi-year 2022–2026 investigation into the embezzlement of federal child nutrition funds through fraudulent meal sites. While federal authorities have secured convictions in several cases, official estimates of the total loss are approximately $250 million. Trump, however, cited ongoing investigations that he says could expand the scope to billions, highlighting potential gaps in oversight and accountability.

The administration has pledged to continue pursuing mismanagement and fraud across federal programs, with a focus on safeguarding taxpayer dollars and ensuring aid reaches eligible families. Legal and oversight officials involved in the Feeding Our Future probe have yet to confirm the broader $19 billion figure, though the president’s statements signal an aggressive approach to uncovering additional fraudulent activity.