Government corruption has emerged as the second most important issue for US voters heading into the midterm elections, according to an October Harris poll for the Guardian, trailing only the rising cost of living. The poll found that 87% of respondents considered corruption a problem, a larger share than those concerned about AI or immigration.
The findings come as the Trump administration faces scrutiny over alleged self-dealing by the president, his family and his allies, even as it campaigns against fraud in government assistance programs.
Administration Targets Fraud in Assistance Programs
JD Vance's anti-fraud taskforce recently announced that $40m had been defrauded from the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (Snap). "There are people out there who decide to commit fraud against these programs who, quite literally in this case, will steal from the mouths of hungry children in order to enrich themselves," the vice-president said in Ohio.
The announcement followed Vance's statement that the administration had terminated the health coverage of 760,000 people insured under Obamacare on grounds of fraud. President Donald Trump has also offered a bounty for reporting alleged fraud, saying: "If you turn somebody in, and you, let's say, report, and you find $1bn, we are giving a commission to that person of 1%."
Voters Concerned About Elected Officials' Interests
The Harris poll suggests voters are more worried about "elected officials putting their own or their donors' financial interests ahead of the public" than about people obtaining health insurance improperly. Vance has defended the president, claiming: "I have not seen a single shred of evidence that he participates or sanctions in that corruption," and noting that "this guy was a billionaire before he ever got into politics."
However, 65% of voters planning to participate in the midterms consider corruption a "major problem," a stance that may conflict with Vance's assurances.
Transparency Rankings and Alleged Conflicts of Interest
The US ranked 29th least corrupt nation on the Transparency International Corruption Perceptions Index last year, down from 18th in 2016, the year before Trump first took office. Trump made $2.2bn in his first year back in office, including $1.4bn from crypto.
Democratic congresswoman Rosa DeLauro has compiled a list of ways Trump is allegedly enriching himself and his allies, including a luxury jet gifted by the Qatari government, a $500m stake in World Liberty Financial by an investment firm linked to the UAE's ruling family, and pardons for individuals after donations to Trump's political operations. The White House denies that the Trump family has engaged in any conflicts of interest and denies granting pardons in exchange for donations.
The administration's focus on fraud in assistance programs may struggle to divert attention from these allegations as voters head to the polls.
