President Donald Trump sent shockwaves through California’s political establishment in January 2026 after announcing that a full-scale federal fraud investigation into the Golden State is officially underway—one he says makes Minnesota’s already infamous scandals look tame by comparison.
In a blistering Truth Social post, the president didn’t mince words. “California, under Governor Gavin Newscum, is more corrupt than Minnesota, if that’s possible??? The Fraud Investigation of California has begun,” Trump wrote, thanking Americans for their “attention to this matter.” The message was vintage Trump—and, to many conservatives, long overdue.
According to information already uncovered, the scope of alleged fraud in California is staggering. Findings linked to DOGE investigators show an estimated $382 million in fraudulent unemployment payments nationwide since 2020, with a jaw-dropping $305 million tied directly to California alone. That’s not counting a separate $180 million education fraud audit involving Highlands Charter Schools, which has raised serious questions about oversight under Gov. Gavin Newsom’s watch.
Critics were quick to note that this investigation didn’t emerge in a vacuum. Dana Williamson, a former chief of staff to Gov. Newsom, was recently indicted on corruption-related charges, including improper welfare and unemployment payouts. Even Democrats are beginning to break ranks. Rep. Ro Khanna (D-CA) admitted in a December 2025 CNN interview that it was Newsom’s *own* inspector general who flagged “billions of dollars of fraud and waste” within the state government.
That admission has become impossible for Democrats to ignore—no matter how hard they try.
As news of the investigation spread, conservatives across social media erupted in celebration. “President Trump announces the Fraud Investigation of California has begun,” one viral post read. “He says California under Governor Gavin Newscum is more corrupt than Minnesota. Trump is right.”
Others pointed to California’s long history of voter-approved policies being overridden by courts and Democrat politicians, including Proposition 187 in 1994, which sought to deny state benefits to illegal immigrants. “Democracy spoke,” one commenter noted, “and a lone judge struck it down. Make California America Again.”
Perhaps the most devastating criticism came not from Washington, but from one of California’s most famous sons: golf legend Phil Mickelson. The outspoken athlete blasted the state’s leadership for allowing fraud to spiral out of control while continuing to squeeze taxpayers.
“No amount of tax can help CA until the fraud problem gets fixed,” Mickelson wrote. “CA fraud makes MN look like amateurs.” He added that instead of recovering stolen funds, Sacramento’s answer is always the same: higher taxes. “How about no new taxes until government gets rid of fraud?”
Mickelson went even further, arguing that if Democrats actually cracked down on fraud, illegal immigration, and election irregularities, they’d lose their political grip entirely. “If you stop the fraud… Republicans win CA and have a huge majority throughout the country,” he warned.
Trump echoed that sentiment in a follow-up post, declaring, “There is more FRAUD in California than there is in Minnesota, if that is even possible. When you add in Election Fraud, then they are tied for first. Two Crooked Governors, two Crooked States!”
For years, conservatives have argued that one-party rule breeds corruption. Now, with federal investigators moving in and even Democrats admitting massive waste, California’s carefully curated image is cracking. The only remaining question is whether anyone will finally be held accountable—or whether the Golden State’s political elite will once again escape consequences while taxpayers foot the bill.
