Trump: “$30,000 for reporting government corruption” ... Journalists also eligible for rewards

[Financial News correspondent Lee Byung-chul in New York] U.S. President Donald Trump has introduced a rewards program offering up to $30,000 (about 42 million won) to people who report the misuse of federal funds and fraud. The program will pay a reward equal to 1% of the amount of wrongdoing uncovered, and journalists will also be allowed to submit reports. Trump said he would personally decide who receives the reward if multiple people come forward.
On the 20th (local time), President Trump announced a $25 million “Wrongdoing Whistleblower Reward Program” (WHIP) in the Oval Office of the White House, alongside Vice President JD Vance and other administration officials.
The program was created to encourage the public to report fraud and wrongdoing in various federal assistance programs and in the process of spending federal funds.
According to the White House, anyone can report wrongdoing through the government tip website, fraud.gov. If a tip leads to a conviction for fraud or a significant federal law enforcement action, the person who submitted it can receive a reward of up to $30,000. The U.S. Department of Justice will administer the program.
President Trump explained that the reward would equal 1% of the amount of wrongdoing uncovered through a report. However, he said he would personally decide who receives the reward if multiple people report the same incident.
“I will be the arbiter of all these decisions,” he said, adding, “The decision will be binding.” He emphasized that journalists, too, could take part in the rewards program.
Last March, the Trump administration launched a task force to root out wrongdoing in the federal government and put Vice President Vance in charge.
Vice President Vance said that day, “Taxpayer money is being stolen,” adding, “The president said this must be stopped. It is, in fact, being stopped.” He continued, “If you help stop it, you can also be rewarded for doing so.”
The event also included a proposal to award $10,000 to right-wing influencer Nick Shirley, 24, who raised allegations of fraudulent claims for childcare facility subsidies in Minnesota.
Last year, Shirley released a video claiming that Minnesota residents of Somali descent were operating fake childcare facilities and obtaining federal subsidies. The video drew attention from the Trump administration and conservative circles, and was followed by investigations, searches and seizures, and arrests. However, investigators who visited the facilities said at the time that the childcare centers featured in the video were operating normally.
“Exposing wrongdoing helps save America,” Shirley said. “Fraud takes away what belongs to poor people and those in need.”
According to the U.S. Department of Justice, last July, Fahima Mahamud, a Minnesota childcare facility operator, pleaded guilty to wire fraud and conspiracy to defraud the U.S. government in connection with allegations that she inflated claims for reimbursement of child meal costs.
Meanwhile, critics have accused President Trump and his family of using the presidency to gain financial benefits through various business ventures. The White House countered that President Trump acts with the interests of the American people as his sole priority.



[email protected] Lee Byung-chul, Correspondent Reporter