Washington, March 17 (NationPress) President Donald Trump has unveiled a new federal initiative aimed at addressing fraud within government programs, appointing Vice President JD Vance to spearhead what he termed a "comprehensive governmental" strategy.

“This is a significant undertaking,” Trump remarked in the Oval Office. “It's focused on the rampant fraud affecting our nation.”

Will Scharf, the White House Staff Secretary, indicated that this directive would create "a dedicated task force focused on eliminating fraud and potentially reclaiming billions, if not hundreds of billions, for American taxpayers."

Vance will chair the task force, with Federal Trade Commission Chairman Andrew Ferguson as vice chair. Scharf noted that it would initiate "a united government effort to combat the grave issue of fraud in federally supported programs nationwide."

Trump highlighted specific states as instances of suspected misconduct. “If we uncover even half of the fraud happening in this nation, which I believe is possible, we would achieve a surplus budget,” he asserted. “The level of theft is astonishing.”

Vance pointed out that the administration has recognized lapses in inter-agency communication. “One major issue was that different agencies weren't effectively collaborating,” he explained.

He further stated that the order would compel "the entire federal machinery" to "eliminate fraud targeting American taxpayers" and guarantee that benefits are allocated "to legitimate American citizens rather than fraudsters."

Vance cited Medicaid as an area where funds have been allegedly mismanaged. “This must cease,” he stressed, noting that such incidents are "repeated across the United States."

Ferguson emphasized that fraud diverts funds from essential services. “Every day, millions of Americans contribute to these programs, expecting legitimate returns,” he remarked. “This fraud is draining resources meant for hospitals and daycare centers into fraudulent enterprises.”

Trump seized the opportunity to criticize past administrations and the Democratic Party. He claimed that anti-fraud measures had been “extremely inadequate” and implied that political leaders had overlooked the issue.

When questioned about why previous leaders failed to tackle systemic fraud, Trump responded: “Because they are corrupt, they profit from it, and they leverage it for power.”

He also stated, “The last administration was fraudulent. That’s what you’re going to discover as well.”

In terms of enforcement, Vance outlined two main strategies. “When we detect fraud, we will halt the payments,” he stated. He added that prosecuting these cases would also be crucial, saying, “Some fraud is merely bad, but some of it is criminal.”

“We must ensure that when criminal conduct is identified, we pursue prosecutions to their conclusion,” Vance emphasized.

This announcement comes as the administration seeks to enhance scrutiny of federal expenditures and connect enforcement with broader themes of governance and accountability.