US President Donald Trump has called on Congress to introduce mandatory prison sentences for people convicted of defrauding federal benefit programmes, including Medicare, Medicaid and Social Security.
Trump made the demand in a video message on Saturday, October 3, 2026, as his administration intensifies efforts to tackle fraud involving government programmes.
He said people convicted of stealing from the programmes should no longer have probation as an option and should face prison terms based on the amount of money involved.
According to Trump, the greater the amount stolen, the longer the offender should remain in prison. He also proposed doubling the sentence for repeat offenders.
“Under our proposal, probation is no longer an option for the fraudsters,” Trump said, warning that anyone who steals from the American people would face lengthy imprisonment.
Trump’s proposal would also target state and local politicians who knowingly allow fraud to continue despite having the authority to stop it.
He said such officials could be held personally liable for losses suffered by American taxpayers when they knowingly fail to intervene.
The proposal comes amid increased federal investigations into healthcare and Social Security fraud. The US Justice Department has recently pursued cases involving billions of dollars in alleged fraudulent claims.
Trump said tougher penalties would serve as a deterrent and warned fraudsters that his administration was closely monitoring fraudulent activities involving government funds.
The proposed measures would require approval by Congress before becoming law.
Leave a comment