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President Donald Trump has set his sights on a new target this week following an eruptive scandal that has swept the state of Minnesota, forcing Democratic Governor Tim Walz to bow out of his re-election bid amid political blowback.
“California, under Governor Gavin Newscum, is more corrupt than Minnesota, if that’s possible???” President Trump wrote on Truth Social.
He added, “The Fraud Investigation of California has begun. Thank you for your attention to this matter!”
As Minnesota grapples with multiple reports of alleged fraud and corruption in the state – to the tune of billions of dollars – some are wondering just how deep the potential scams go nationwide.
“We can work together to combat the criminals, rebuild the public’s trust, and make our state stronger,” Governor Walz said in a statement announcing his intention to bow out as Minnesota’s governor.
He blamed the rampant reports of fraud and corruption in Minnesota largely on President Trump and “conspiracy theorist right-wing YouTubers” and “Republicans playing politics with the future of our state.”
SpaceX visionary Elon Musk, who formerly led the Department of Government Efficiency for the Trump administration, weighed in on the conversation on his platform, X.
“The fraud in California, New York and Illinois is far greater than in Minnesota,” he remarked. “My guess for how much fraud is happening nationwide is roughly 10% of the Federal budget, so about $700 billion per year.”
The president’s comments about California potentially being under investigation hardly mark the first time he has turned his attention to the Golden State. Last fall, President Trump said that mail-in ballots in California were under “serious legal and criminal review.”
He has publicly lambasted California for having a “RIGGED” voting system and has made no secret of his political differences with Gov. Newsom.
On Tuesday, the president poked a stick at Newsom, claiming that the governor wouldn’t be able to pass a cognitive exam. “I don’t think Gavin could,” he remarked. “He’s got a good line of crap, but other than that, he couldn’t pass.”
Governor Newsom is likely to be a frontrunner for the Democratic presidential nomination in 2028.