Donald Trump promised to drain the swamp — turns out he just wanted to run it

Donald Trump just signed a new executive order that will create a task force aimed at eliminating fraud. He even posted a picture of himself with JD Vance in the Oval Office, calling it an example of him keeping promises. As you might expect, many were quick to remind him not only of his own past fraud allegations, but also of the long list of people charged with fraud whom he has pardoned over the last year.

One X user went ahead and named them: Jason Galanis, arrested for a $200 million securities fraud against a pensioners’ fund; Lawrence Duran, indicted for a $205 million Medicare fraud; and even reality TV stars Todd Chrisley and Julie Chrisley, who were fairly unapologetic about their $30 million bank fraud and instead claimed that Trump pardoned them because of God. And that’s just the highlight reel.

Convicted fraudsters Trump has pardoned this year:

Jason Galanis — ~$200M+
Joseph Schwartz — ~$38M
Lawrence Duran — ~$205M (Medicare fraud billed; ~$87M paid)
Carlos Watson — ~$60M investor fraud
Trevor Milton — ~$20M+ investor losses
Todd Chrisley — ~$30M bank fraud
Julie… https://t.co/fZnrmRbHqc

— Ron Shillman (@shillman1) March 17, 2026

The uncomfortable reality is that many of these individuals are aligned with MAGA, and more often than not, these pardons wipe out sentences, fines, and restitutions. Reports suggest that these decisions have erased more than $1 billion in penalties. Yet somehow, Trump’s new task force is expected to eliminate fraud within the executive branch — which, at the very least, is a bold place to start.

Vance is expected to chair the task force, targeting waste, abuse, and improper payments in Social Security and Medicaid. According to the White House, the goal is to curb the nearly $200 billion lost annually, as estimated by the Government Accountability Office. It’s an ambitious figure — and an even more ambitious pivot.

This is Trump’s latest attempt to fulfill his 2024 campaign promise to audit federal spending and prioritize benefits for US citizens. Of course, programs like Medicare and SNAP have already seen cuts, and House Democrats are scrambling to reverse or at least slow further reductions, even as the administration insists the federal government can no longer sustain these programs in their current form.

All of this lands awkwardly against Trump’s own history with fraud — which, at best, is complicated. On the lighter (or at least less catastrophic) end, there was the lawsuit from New York Attorney General Letitia James, accusing Trump of inflating his net worth to secure larger loans than he qualified for. On the more infamous end, there was Trump University, where students reportedly paid up to $35,000 for “expert” real estate advice — only to learn, in many cases, what a con looks like up close. That case ultimately ended in an out-of-court settlement.

And then there are the countless other allegations that never made it to court but still hover over his decades-long public career. Trump has always talked a big game about fighting fraud. This task force is just the latest chapter in that ongoing pitch.

Back when he first ran for office, his signature line was that he would “drain the swamp.” Now, it increasingly feels like the goal was to manage it — maybe even redecorate it. Because if the public reaction to this new anti-fraud task force is anything to go by, very few people are buying what he’s selling this time around.

After all, it’s hard to position yourself as the face of a crackdown on fraud while simultaneously handing out pardons like party favors — especially when the guest list keeps looking the same.