Trump and Vance Introduce $25 Million Whistleblower Program

President Donald Trump and Vice President JD Vance introduced a $25 million initiative on Tuesday to encourage Americans to report suspected fraud involving federal programs. This initiative allows eligible tipsters to receive rewards up to $30,000. The Justice Department’s National Fraud Enforcement Division will oversee the program. Its goal is to help investigators uncover criminal activities involving taxpayer-funded benefits and other federal programs. According to the White House, rewards are available for information that leads to criminal charges and successful enforcement actions.

Understanding the Whistleblower Rewards Program

The program, titled the Whistleblower Rewards Program, is part of the Trump administration’s broader strategy to combat fraud and improper payments across the federal government. Simply submitting an allegation does not qualify someone for a payment. Tips must be original, truthful, complete, voluntary, and must meet the program’s eligibility criteria.

Eligible whistleblowers can expect rewards ranging from $10,000 to $30,000. President Trump announced that the reward commission is one percent of reported fraud, even if the discovered fraud amounts to billions. To qualify, individuals must provide written information on specific fraud categories and fully cooperate with investigators. The information must be original and lead to charges in a covered area.

The program targets federal health care offenses, related crimes, and fraud involving government programs, including those administered by the Departments of Agriculture, Labor, Health and Human Services, Housing and Urban Development, Education, Veterans Affairs, the Department of War, and the Small Business Administration. Notable areas include hospice services, home health care, day care, and special services fraud.

The program recognizes whistleblowers who voluntarily report information, distinguishing them from those who participated in the fraud. Participants in misconduct are generally ineligible for rewards. The department’s approach rewards actionable information early in investigations without requiring substantial fines or forfeitures for a whistleblower reward.

The Administration’s Expanded Anti-Fraud Efforts

This initiative enhances the administration’s ongoing campaign to identify fraud involving federal funds. President Trump established the Task Force to Eliminate Fraud in March, with Vance as chairman. This task force is responsible for coordinating federal agencies’ efforts in detecting fraud, strengthening eligibility checks, and preventing improper payments. The whistleblower program adds financial incentives for the public to provide information aiding investigators.

Tips can be submitted through the Justice Department’s fraud reporting website, fraud.gov, as per White House directives.

Example of Reward Payout: Nick Shirley

The White House announced plans to give independent journalist Nick Shirley a $10,000 reward for reporting on suspected fraud involving Minnesota child care centers. Shirley gained national attention in December 2025 by questioning the legitimacy of several Somali-run day care facilities in Minnesota. His investigation showed seemingly empty facilities and included interviews with individuals who had not seen children at those locations.

The White House credited Shirley’s work for drawing attention to the issue, which led to more federal investigative resources directed toward Minnesota.

One highlighted facility, Future Leaders Early Learning Center, had its former chief executive, Fahima Egeh Mahamud, plead guilty to wire fraud and conspiracy to defraud the U.S. Prosecutors claimed Mahamud stole more than $4.6 million through false child care assistance claims and an additional $850,000 via a federal nutrition program linked to the Feeding Our Future scandal. Shirley’s planned award underscores the administration’s effort to involve civilians in identifying potential fraud.

Processing Fraud Tips

The Justice Department states that whistleblowers must voluntarily provide original information and cooperate fully to be eligible for an award. The information must relate to a covered offense and result in criminal charges in specified program areas. Not all reports qualify for payment; eligibility depends on the information’s timeliness, originality, and adherence to program requirements. The initiative is designed to help the government promptly identify suspected fraud, potentially minimizing taxpayer-funded program losses while offering a clear reward path for qualifying whistleblowers.

Further details about eligibility, confidentiality protections, and the submission assessment process are available in the Justice Department’s Whistleblower Rewards Program guidance.