Donald Trump said on Tuesday that he would determine how competing whistleblowers are paid under a new Justice Department incentive programme designed to encourage tips about fraud against the US government. The announcement, made alongside vice-president JD Vance at the White House, offers rewards of up to $30,000 for information reaching the charging stage of a criminal case.
Trump’s intervention raises immediate questions about who controls the scheme, how competing claims will be settled and whether the president’s promise of generous payments is compatible with the Justice Department’s published rules. The department says it holds “sole discretion” over rewards, while Trump said he would act as “the arbitrator” of disputed decisions.
Trump places himself at the centre of the payout process
Speaking in the Oval Office, Trump said the new programme created a predictable problem: more than one person might provide information about the same alleged fraud, prompting arguments over who deserves payment.
“I was just thinking, when you do these things, sometimes there’s a dispute as to who turned ’em in and who didn’t turn ’em in, who’s supposed to get what and when, you know,” he told reporters.
He then announced: “I am going to do something, which I think people will like, I will be the arbitrator of all of these decisions.” Trump said he would decide whether an informant was eligible and could split a reward if necessary.
“You’ll get your money immediately, but I’ll make the determination,” he added. “So if two people are fighting over it, maybe they’ll split it or maybe whatever, but I’ll make that determination. It’ll be done expeditiously and fairly.”
The wording suggests a more expansive presidential role than the Justice Department’s own description of the programme. Its website says the department has sole discretion in issuing rewards and exercising its authority, prompting questions about whether Trump was announcing a genuine supervisory power or simply offering to resolve disputes informally.
The Justice Department and White House had been asked for clarification. No detailed procedure for claims,
