# Trump to decide which fraud whistleblowers get paid

> President Trump announces a new federal program to compensate whistleblowers reporting government fraud, but says he will personally determine who receives money and how much.
- Title: Trump to decide which fraud whistleblowers get paid · CBS News
- Summary: President Trump announces a new federal program to compensate whistleblowers reporting government fraud, but says he will personally determine who receives…
- Keywords: trump, whistleblowers, fraud, jd vance, fraud task force, government compensation, news, decide, which, get, paid, CBS News
- Source: CBS News — https://cbsnews.com/news/trump-us-compensate-fraud-whistleblowers
- Author: Kathryn  Watson
- Published: 2026-10-20T22:07:42+00:00
- Read time: 1 min
- Topics: trump, whistleblowers, fraud, jd vance, fraud task force, government compensation, news
## Trump launches whistleblower payment program
President Trump announced Tuesday that the federal government will compensate whistleblowers who report fraud against the U.S. government and taxpayers through a new Fraud Whistleblower Incentive Program.
## Trump will personally decide all payouts
Trump said he will be the sole arbiter of whistleblower compensation decisions. I will be the arbiter of all of these decisions, he said. I'll determine whether or not the person is deserving.

> I will be the arbiter of all of these decisions
## Conflicting details on payment limits
Trump said whistleblowers can receive one percent of reported fraud amounts with no limit, even for one hundred billion dollars. But America.gov/fraud says successful whistleblowers receive up to thirty thousand dollars.
## First recipient receives ten thousand dollars
Nick Shirley, a twenty-something YouTuber who published a video alleging fraud at childcare centers in Minnesota, received a ten thousand dollar check as the program's first beneficiary.
## Key takeaway

Trump announced a Fraud Whistleblower Incentive Program offering compensation to those reporting government fraud, with Trump personally deciding payouts despite conflicting guidance on limits.