“Vice President JD Vance announced the creation of a new Assistant Attorney General position at the Department of Justice with nationwide jurisdiction over fraud, which will start and focus primarily in Minnesota.”
Attributed to Vice President JD Vance (as reported by Breitbart)
At a White House press briefing, Vance said the administration is creating a new assistant attorney general who will have nationwide jurisdiction over fraud and whose efforts will start and focus primarily in Minnesota.
What the proof shows
Vice President J.D. Vance did publicly announce on January 8, 2026 that the administration would create a new Assistant Attorney General post and a DOJ division to lead nationwide fraud enforcement and said the new AAG’s efforts would “start and focus primarily in Minnesota.” The White House followed with a fact sheet the same day. The Department of Justice later formalized the National Fraud Enforcement Division by memorandum on April 7, 2026 and the Senate confirmed Colin McDonald as the Assistant Attorney General in March 2026. Important context missing from the Breitbart phrasing: the January statement was an announcement of an upcoming creation (not the final internal DOJ establishment), the AAG requires presidential nomination and Senate confirmation (which occurred later), and DOJ’s formal April 7 memorandum places the new division within DOJ (contrasting with early White House remarks about White House supervision).
Corrected version
On January 8, 2026 Vice President J.D. Vance announced the administration would create a new Assistant Attorney General post and a Department of Justice division for national fraud enforcement with nationwide jurisdiction, saying the AAG’s efforts would begin and focus primarily in Minnesota. The DOJ formally established the National Fraud Enforcement Division by memorandum on April 7, 2026, and the Senate confirmed Colin McDonald as its Assistant Attorney General on March 24, 2026.
Automated evidence confidence: 0%
References and proof
Every link was reachable when published. Each proof point states how that source bears on the claim.
Fact Sheet: President Donald J. Trump Establishes New Department of Justice Division for National Fraud Enforcement ↗
The White HouseThe DOJ’s new division for national fraud enforcement will enforce the Federal criminal and civil laws against fraud ... The Assistant Attorney General for this new division will be responsible for leading the Department’s efforts to investigate, prosecute, and remedy fraud affecting the Federal government, Federally funded programs, and private citizens.
Press Briefing by the Vice President and Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt (January 08, 2026) ↗
The American Presidency Project (transcript of White House press briefing)We are creating a new assistant attorney general position who will have nationwide jurisdiction over the issue of fraud. Now, of course, that person's efforts will start and focus primarily in Minnesota...
Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche Issues Memorandum on the Creation of the National Fraud Enforcement Division ↗
U.S. Department of Justice, Office of Public AffairsActing Attorney General Todd Blanche today released a Memorandum on the Creation of the National Fraud Enforcement Division ... The core mission of the National Fraud Enforcement Division is to zealously investigate and prosecute those who steal or fraudulently misuse taxpayer dollars.
About the National Fraud Enforcement Division ↗
U.S. Department of JusticeTrump announced the creation of the Fraud Division in January 2026 ... On April 1, 2026, Colin M. McDonald was sworn in as the first Assistant Attorney General for the Fraud Division. In that role, Assistant Attorney General McDonald has been tasked with 'leading the Department’s efforts to investigate, prosecute, and remedy fraud affecting the Federal government, Federally funded programs, and private citizens.'
White House Announces New DOJ Fraud Division to Be Directly Supervised by the President (client memo) ↗
Paul, Weiss (law firm analysis)In a White House press briefing on January 8, 2026, Vice President Vance emphasized ... that the new AAG — who has reportedly been selected ... — will have 'all the benefits, all the resources, all the authority of a special counsel, but…run out of the White House under the supervision of' President Trump and Vice President Vance. DOJ's subsequent April 7 memorandum situates the new Assistant Attorney General under DOJ leadership, a departure from the initial White House framing.
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