Vice President Vance Named to Lead White House Task Force Targeting Federal Fraud
By Solange Reyner | Wednesday, 25 February 2026 12:34 PM EST
Rep. Michael Cloud, R-Texas, stated on Wednesday that Vice President JD Vance is well-positioned to lead a new federal effort to combat government fraud, praising his record and commitment to oversight.
President Donald Trump officially declared a “war on fraud” during his State of the Union address Tuesday night, announcing the creation of a task force aimed at rooting out waste, fraud, and abuse in federal programs.
Trump named Vance to lead the initiative, calling for aggressive oversight and stronger enforcement to safeguard taxpayer dollars.
“I think he’d do an excellent job with that,” Cloud said. “I was excited to hear that. I know he’s been involved in pushing for this already, kind of working behind the scenes on it, but to know that he’s going to be taking the reins and pushing this forward is really tremendous.”
Cloud cited Vance’s willingness to tackle major policy issues during his time in the Senate, including diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives.
“He’s been somebody who’s been willing to take on the big issues,” Cloud said. “DEI being one of them. When he was a senator, we co-sponsored the bill to get rid of DEI, and for him to take on these big issues, he’s going to do a great job.”
Cloud emphasized that oversight and coordination with the Department of Justice will be critical components of the administration’s anti-fraud push. He said lawmakers have already been working to expose waste and abuse at the state and federal levels.
“And let’s remember,” Cloud added, “all the craziness that’s going on in Minnesota started with us revealing that billions of dollars in fraud were going on in that state during the pandemic.”
He argued that uncovering those issues underscores the need for stronger scrutiny nationwide.
Cloud also noted that Minnesota is not the only state requiring heightened oversight, saying significant work remains to protect public funds.
“A lot of work still needs to be done to find as much savings as we can for the American people and work toward a balanced budget,” Cloud said. “And he’s the right man for the job.”
