President Donald Trump sharply escalated his attacks on Democratic leaders after Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz announced he would not seek re-election in 2026, linking the decision to a sweeping fraud scandal and accusing Walz and other officials of stealing "tens of billions" of taxpayer dollars.
In a post on his social media platform, Trump alleged that Walz had been "caught, REDHANDED," alongside Rep. Ilhan Omar and others, and described them as "a seriously unscrupulous, and rich, group of 'SLIMEBALLS.'" Trump wrote that Walz "will not be running again" and added, "Governor Walz has destroyed the State of Minnesota," before extending criticism to other Democratic governors, including California Gov. Gavin Newsom, Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker and New York Gov. Kathy Hochul, saying they had done "an even more dishonest and incompetent job." He concluded: "NO ONE IS ABOVE THE LAW!"
Walz confirmed Monday that he would not enter the 2026 gubernatorial race, a reversal after previously signaling interest in a third term. In a statement, Walz said the ongoing investigation into fraud within state social safety-net programs had become a distraction from governing. "Minnesota faces an enormous challenge this year," Walz said. "And I refuse to spend even one minute of 2026 doing anything other than rising to meet the moment. Minnesota has to come first - always."
The scandal centers on alleged Medicaid and social-program fraud estimated by prosecutors to total close to $9 billion, involving organizations that claimed reimbursement for child nutrition and other services. Walz acknowledged the severity of the issue while insisting his administration had acted aggressively. "A single taxpayer dollar wasted on fraud is a dollar too much to tolerate," he said. "And while there's a role to play for everyone ... the buck stops with me."
Walz outlined steps taken by his administration, writing: "We've gone to the legislature time and again to get more tools to combat fraud. We've fired people who weren't doing their jobs." He added: "We've seen people go to jail for stealing from our state. We've cut off whole streams of funding, in partnership with the federal government, where we saw widespread criminal activity."
The governor also pushed back against Trump's rhetoric, accusing the president of inflaming tensions and targeting Minnesota communities. "We've got Republicans here in the legislature playing hide-and-seek with whistleblowers," Walz said. "We've got conspiracy theorist right-wing YouTubers breaking into daycare centers and demanding access to our children." He added of Trump's comments: "It is disgusting. And it is dangerous."
Trump's attacks extended beyond fraud allegations. Over the weekend, he circulated a video falsely implicating Walz in the killing of former Minnesota House Speaker Melissa Hortman, prompting public objections from Hortman's children. Trump has previously mocked Walz at rallies and, according to Walz, continues to make personal attacks unrelated to the investigation.
