WASHINGTON — President Trump on Wednesday introduced Colin McDonald as his nominee for a new assistant normal for fraud place that may — with Senate approval — grant him a broad license to seek out and prosecute misappropriation of federal sources.
McDonald isn’t a well known nationwide determine, however has constructed a fame as a “fearless” prosecutor whose anti-fraud resume consists of successful convictions in a big Hawaii regulation enforcement corruption case.
“I’m happy to appoint Colin McDonald to function the primary ever Assistant Lawyer Basic for Nationwide FRAUD Enforcement, a brand new Division on the Division of Justice, which I created to catch and cease FRAUDSTERS which have been STEALING from the American Individuals,” Trump wrote on Reality Social.
“My Administration has uncovered Fraud schemes in States like Minnesota and California, the place these thieves have stolen A whole lot of Billions of Taxpayer {Dollars},” the president continued. “Colin McDonald is a really Good, Robust, and Extremely Revered AMERICA FIRST Federal Prosecutor who has efficiently delivered Justice in a number of the most tough and excessive stakes instances our Nation has ever seen.
“Collectively, we are going to END THE FRAUD, and RESTORE INTEGRITY to our Federal Applications. Congratulations Colin — STOP THE SCAMS!”
In 2020, McDonald helped convict Honolulu Police Chief Louis Kealoha, his city-prosecutor spouse Katherine Kealoha and two cops in a posh scandal involving the highly effective defendants framing an harmless man to cowl up their very own crimes.
The Kealohas have been discovered responsible of false arrest and obstruction of justice for abusing their roles to arrest their very own uncle — claiming he stole their mailbox — to discredit him and conceal their very own theft of $148,000 from an aged relative.
The 4 crooked Hawaii regulation enforcers have been awarded between 42 and 156 months in jail — after they blew their loot on Elton John tickets, funds for Mercedes and Maserati luxurious automobiles, a Disneyland trip and a $23,976 brunch tab, in accordance with prosecutors.
McDonald at present is affiliate deputy legal professional normal, reporting to Deputy Lawyer Basic Todd Blanche. He labored between 2014 and 2025 as a federal prosecutor in Southern California and Hawaii.
Not like most Justice Division officers, McDonald would report on to Trump and Vice President JD Vance, each of whom have highlighted studies of widespread fraud in states like Minnesota and California, together with scams impacting federally funded social providers and pandemic reduction.
Vance, who introduced the brand new function at a White Home press briefing this month, stated: “Colin McDonald is broadly thought to be an intensive and extremely competent legal professional. He has an distinctive prosecutorial monitor report, which we sit up for seeing him put to make use of in his new function as Assistant Lawyer Basic.”
The exact bounds of McDonald’s “fraud” mission are unclear.
Lawyer Basic Pam Bondi stated McDonald “is doing excellent work on the Division of Justice and can proceed to be a useful asset on our group” and that his expertise “makes him completely suited to assist lead the cost on dismantling felony fraud networks and halting the theft of taxpayer {dollars}.”
Former Southern California US Lawyer Robert Brewer, who was McDonald’s boss throughout Trump’s first time period, known as him “a profession public servant in addition to a fearless, sturdy and moral prosecutor.”
“I assigned him to a really tough public corruption case in Hawaii that critically wanted his organizational and authorized expertise. As anticipated, he was invaluable in resolving the case in a most favorable method,” Brewer stated.
“Mr. McDonald is exceedingly vivid, devoted and is a superb chief. The American individuals can belief his judgment, his ethics and will probably be happy with his work.”
