On Jan. 8, 2026, the White House announced the establishment of the DOJ’s Division for National Fraud Enforcement. The Trump administration stated that the new division will “combat the rampant and pervasive problem of fraud in the United States” and “enforce the Federal criminal and civil laws against fraud targeting Federal government programs, Federally funded benefits, businesses, nonprofits, and private citizens nationwide.” This announcement expands upon the Trump administration’s efforts to use the False Claims Act in connection with increased enforcement in areas including DEI initiatives, healthcare fraud and cybersecurity issues. While the creation of the new division accompanied no change in law, federally funded entities should be aware that it may signal increased white-collar enforcement mirroring the administration’s policy priorities.
