A Missouri senator introduced legislation Tuesday night that would permanently establish the National Fraud Enforcement Division, a Trump administration unit created inside the Department of Justice to root out fraud in federal programs, betting that Senate Democrats will follow House colleagues who already backed the idea.
Sen. Eric Schmitt, R-Mo., told Fox News Digital he filed the bill as the Senate reopened for business, following a companion measure that passed the House with bipartisan support, including votes from House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, D-N.Y.
Whether the effort survives the Senate is another question. Schmitt acknowledged Democrats there may be less willing to hand President Trump a legislative win ahead of the midterm elections than their House counterparts were.
Origins in a Minnesota fraud scandal
Trump announced the creation of the anti-fraud division within the DOJ in January 2026, after reports surfaced of widespread fraud in Minnesota under Gov. Tim Walz. The unit was officially launched under then-acting Attorney General Todd Blanche with a mandate to target fraud affecting the federal government, federally funded programs and private citizens, according to an administration release. Vice President JD Vance chairs the effort as what Trump has called his de facto fraud czar, and it is run day-to-day by Assistant Attorney General Colin McDonald.
Schmitt said the Minnesota case has put Democrats on the defensive.
