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It is unclear if he is also referring to the shootings of Renee Good and Alex Pretti.
Is what is happening in Minnesota right now a cover-up to take focus away from fraud?
If a post on Truth Social from U.S. President Donald Trump is to be believed, it very well might be.
Posted on January 24, following the fatal shooting of 37-year-old American citizen Alex Pretti, Donald Trump shared a picture released by the authorities, allegedly showing Pretti’s gun with two full magazines (Pretti had a permit to carry a gun).
“This is the gunman’s gun, loaded (with two additional full magazines!), and ready to go – what is that all about? Where are the local police? Why weren’t they allowed to protect ICE officers? The mayor and the governor called them off?” the post begins, before turning its focus to the fraud scandal in Minnesota.
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Fraud and illegal immigrants
According to Trump, the federal ICE officers are in Minnesota “because of massive monetary fraud, with billions of dollars missing, and illegal criminals.”
On January 6, 2026, CNN reported that the Trump administration was planning to deploy 2,000 federal agents to Minnesota following the welfare fraud scandal.
The scandal, which has seen Governor Tim Walz cancel his bid for a third term, centers around widespread fraud involving childcare centers.
Trump also appears to believe that the unrest in Minnesota is a “cover-up” intended to hide the fraud scandal.
“Much of what you’re witnessing is a COVER UP for this theft and fraud. The mayor and the governor are inciting insurrection with their pompous, dangerous, and arrogant rhetoric!” Trump says in the post.
It is unclear from the post whether Trump is also referring to the shootings of Rene Good (on January 7 2026) and Pretti as being part of the alleged cover-up.
What is the scandal about?
A series of fraud scandals and allegations concerning federal funds allocated to Minnesota state-administered social services programs occurred during the 2020s.
The largest and earliest case is the Feeding Our Future case, in which more than 50 people have been convicted since charges were brought in 2022.
In December 2025, a viral video made by YouTuber Nick Shirley ignited new allegations of social services fraud at Somali-American daycare centers and healthcare companies.
Minnesota has the largest proportion of Somali immigrants in the U.S., with estimates ranging from 80,000 to 100,000 residents.
Sources: CNN, Truth Social, YouTube, PBS
