Tim Walz announced this week he would not seek re-election as a result of the state’s billion-dollar welfare fraud scandal. For months, Walz shrugged off the rip-off of taxpayer funds as aregrettable consequence of Minnesota’s generous, Scandinavian-stylesafety net. Federal prosecutors estimated the total price tag topped $9 billion—a sum Walz disputes. In response, President Trump announced a pause of federal funding ofMinnesota child care, and at least one Somali-run day care in Minnesota was vandalized. Fraud damages “trust in American institutions,” but don’t expect a coherent response from “the most corrupt administration in American history.”The Week Escape your echo chamber.

Source: CNN January 13, 2026 19:33 UTC