Last night, President Trump delivered two proposals with significant fiscal implications — a “war on fraud” in federal welfare programs and a $1,000 taxpayer-matched 401k contribution for workers whose employers don’t offer retirement plans. Romina Boccia, Director of Budget and Entitlement Policy at the Cato Institute, has statements on both.

On Trump’s “war on fraud” and the new welfare fraud task force:

“President Trump announced that he would wage a ‘war on fraud’ during last night’s State of the Union, with Vice President JD Vance leading a new task force to root out fraud in the federal government’s welfare programs.

Welfare fraud has dominated headlines over the past few months, and Minnesota’s multibillion-dollar scandal is just the tip of the iceberg.

Fraud, however, represents only the most obvious form of dysfunction. Poorly designed federal programs have allowed states to routinely exploit administrative loopholes to expand enrollment, deploy budget gimmicks to inflate federal matching funds, and funnel money to partisan causes.”

On the proposed $1,000 matched 401(k) contribution:

“Americans are still waiting on their tariff rebate checks and DOGE dividend checks. Not only does the administration lack the fiscal authority to seed 401ks with a $1,000 taxpayer match, nor is this a good idea.

Americans need a simpler system of tax-advantaged savings via universal savings accounts, not more tax-advantaged accounts (ie Trump accounts) or related handouts.”

Boccia is available for interviews and additional comment. Please contact Madison: mmiller@​cato.​org.