President Donald Trump’s education secretary, Linda McMahon, sent a letter Tuesday to Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz calling on him to resign amid multiple fraud investigations involving state-administered federal funds, including recent findings of student aid fraud.
“You have been Minnesota’s governor since 2019,” McMahon wrote in the letter obtained by Fox News Digital. “During that time, your careless lack of oversight and abuse of the welfare system has attracted fraudsters from around the world, especially from Somalia, to establish a beachhead of criminality in our country. As President Trump put it, you have turned Minnesota into a ‘fraudulent hub of money laundering activity.’”
McMahon concluded the letter by urging Walz to step down.
“Given your dereliction of the office entrusted to you by Minnesotans, I implore you to resign and make way for more capable leadership,” she wrote.
The letter references ongoing federal investigations into alleged large-scale fraud involving nonprofits such as Feeding Our Future. Prosecutors have alleged that individuals connected to the organization defrauded taxpayers of at least $1 billion through federal child nutrition programs. Most defendants have pleaded not guilty; several cases remain ongoing.
McMahon also cited findings announced last week by the U.S. Department of Education, which reported it had prevented more than $1 billion in attempted student aid fraud during Trump’s first year in office. Those findings included the detection of suspected “bots” and “ghost students,” or applicants whose identities could not be verified.
According to Fox News Digital, one such scheme involving “ghost students” occurred at Riverland Community College, which reportedly received more than 100 potentially fraudulent applications per year. McMahon wrote that nearly 2,000 unverified students were identified statewide.
“In Minnesota, 1,834 ghost students were found to have received $12.5 million in taxpayer-funded grants and loans,” she wrote. “They collected checks from the federal government, shared a small portion of the money with the college, and pocketed the rest — without attending the college at all.”
She noted that the Department of Education has implemented new measures, including mandatory identity verification for certain first-time applicants, to reduce similar fraud attempts nationwide.
The letter also referenced Minnesota Rep. Ilhan Omar (D), stating that she “borrowed ‘tens of thousands’ in student loans and now does not think she should have to repay, despite her generous, taxpayer-funded salary.” Last month, a conservative watchdog group called on House Speaker Mike Johnson to garnish Omar’s wages over student loan debt, according to Alpha News. The letter asserts that Omar has “taken advantage” of federal taxpayers.
McMahon further accused Walz of presiding over what federal officials have described as widespread fraud affecting multiple federal benefit programs, including housing assistance, education aid, food stamps, small-business relief, and programs serving elderly Americans and children with autism.
“Shame on you, Governor Walz, for allowing this to happen — and for benefiting from it,” McMahon wrote. “Stop defrauding American taxpayers. No politician is above the law, and my department, alongside every other agency under the leadership of President Trump, will continue to ensure that you will not be able to dodge accountability for your actions.”
In a press conference Friday, Walz announced that the state is implementing a new fraud-prevention initiative in partnership with a private firm specializing in forensic auditing.
Walz said the system had been “taken advantage of by an organized group of fraudsters and criminals.”
“I take full responsibility for it,” he said. “I think, and I will acknowledge certainly to Minnesotans and to the press here, I don’t think we’ve done a good enough job of communicating the hard work that’s being done.”
Read the full letter:
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Walz should be indicted and arrested for larceny, and dereliction of duty. He is an out and out crook, corrupt as hell, and I agree with Trump, very LOW IQ!
I COULD NOT AGREE MORE.
He’s not going to resign. These corrupt crooks double down, and their ignorant voters support them and ignore their corruption. In fact, they will likely come after and vilianize anyone who calls out their corrupt natures. It’s truly disgusting.
Walz is buying votes using this scheme. He needs to be charged with fraud.
you’ve got a nerve suggesting that Walz should resign. Trump running the Federal system has far more cause to resign his Presidency for incompetence, criminality, corruption and general negligence. Walz, of course, has a much higher IQ than Trump (as do I).
Betcha he got a big chunk of the cash!