Kathrine Frich
He did not see this coming.
Asking the public for tips online always comes with a bit of risk.
You set up a fresh digital mailbox, promise a cash prize, and wait for helpful leads to roll in.
Sometimes, though, the internet decides to turn the whole idea upside down within minutes.
Cash for tipsters
A brand-new federal anti-fraud plan launched by President Donald Trump has quickly backfired after critics flooded the platform with demands to investigate the 80-year-old leader himself, according to the Irish Star.
Run by the Department of Justice and funded with $25 million from the Treasury Department, the barely week-old project is part of a wider push led by Vice President JD Vance. It promises up to $30,000 to everyday citizens who help expose waste in government programs.
During an Oval Office meeting on Tuesday, Trump even floated giving tipsters a 1 percent cut of any recovered funds. “I think that will be amazing because the kind of money that’s been stolen is trillions from this country,” the president said, as quoted by the Irish Star.
A day later, he stood beside Vance and handed a $10,000 check to right-wing influencer Nick Shirley, who posted a video last year claiming fake childcare centers in Minnesota’s Somali community were pocketing federal money.
On X, the Justice Department promoted the launch with a post reading, “Justice Department Announces Innovative Whistleblower Rewards Program to Combat Fraud,” adding, “Tipsters Eligible for up to $30,000 in Fast-Track Payments.” Attorney General Todd Blanche backed the effort in an accompanying statement.
“Protecting the American people from fraud remains a top priority for the Department of Justice,” Blanche said. “The Fraud Whistleblower Incentive Program (WHIP) offers everyone the opportunity to be part of the solution, help expose fraud, and be rewarded quickly for their efforts.”
Trolls take over
“I urge all Americans to use this program and play an active role in bringing fraudsters to justice,” Blanche added in the statement cited by the Irish Star. Online critics took him up on the offer right away.
One user replied, “I’d like to report Donald Trump, Donald Trump Junior, Eric Trump, Ivanka Trump, every Cabinet member that is currently sitting, and I’ll get back to you with the rest.”
Another commenter wrote, “I would like to report a man named Donald Trump,” while a third asked if uncovering wrongdoing inside the White House would still qualify for the payout.
A user named Laurie also posted a graphic pointing to the first family’s foreign business ties and crypto projects. “I’d like to report this guy. You can put the $30K on my X card,” she wrote, according to the Irish Star.
Back in June, Reuters examined those ventures and found that the Trump family had brought in roughly $2.3 billion from cryptocurrency, even as everyday investors lost an estimated $2.3 billion.
The White House insists that private business deals do not shape government policy. “Every day, President Trump’s Task Force to Eliminate Fraud is zeroing in on the rampant abuse of taxpayer dollars and giving Americans the accountability they deserve.
This administration has zero tolerance for individuals who steal from Americans,” White House spokeswoman Lauren Bis said in a statement reported by the Irish Star.
