During CNN’s Table for Five, the hosts recently got into a heated debate regarding current events in Minnesota and President Donald Trump. As the debate went on, discussions emerged involving fraud investigations in the state. During the conversation, the hosts weighed in on who was being targeted, but what went awry? Keep reading for further details.
CNN’s Table For Five Premiered Back In 2025
CNN Saturday Morning Table for Five is a weekend news talk show that airs Saturday mornings. The show premiered back in 2025.
News anchor Abby Phillip serves as the show’s main host. Recently, Phillip found herself in a heated discussion concerning President Donald Trump.
SiriusXM radio host and actor John Fugelsang recently accused the president of “racializing fraud to blame the people who are victimized.” While discussing investigations into possibly billions in fraud in Minnesota, the actor claimed that President Trump and conservatives were “blaming innocent people of color for what private contractors did.”
During a visit to the state this week, Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent shared that the Treasury Department is looking into financial transactions between Minnesotan residents and businesses and Somalia. This takes place as the federal government has been cracking down on immigration.
Bessent had claimed that his agency had set off actions to fight fraud in the state. Investigations have been launched into four businesses that people allegedly use to wire money to family abroad. The businesses were not named.
The large-scale fraud allegedly refers to a $9 billion scheme that may have ripped off programs, including government childcare funding. It was claimed that this fraud was carried out by “dozens of people – the vast majority from Minnesota’s Somali community.”
During the recent CNN discussion, Phillip called Fugelsang’s point “interesting.” She noted, “The actual victims of this fraud are probably actually Somali families.”
Others didn’t agree with this. New York Post reporter Lydia Moynihan claimed that the victims were taxpayers. Campaign senior staffer Ashley Allison also pointed out, “Somalis are [taxpayers.]” When it was claimed that 80% of Somalis are on welfare, Fugelsang countered that Somalis in the state pay “state, local, and sales taxes.”
The CNN Panel Debated On Just Who Counts As A Taxpayer Or Citizen
MAGA ETF founder Hal Lambert countered, “And they get it all back with their welfare payments. They’re not taxpayers,” with Allison replying, “Wow.” Phillip tried to regain control of the conversation, asked, “Are you suggesting that all across America, white people, black people, Somali – people of Somali heritage, because many of them are Americans – you don’t consider them to be taxpayers if they receive benefits from the government?”
Lambert then asked if they were “net” taxpayers. Phillip then asked, “I’m just asking you, do you think they are taxpayers with the rights of citizens everywhere if they receive government benefits?” Lambert answered by saying that people deserved citizens’ rights if they were indeed citizens.
That said, he then argued that private citizens were not taxpayers if they took more money than they added into the system. He also argued that this wasn’t about race.
However, President Trump’s immigration enforcement actions have allegedly targeted the state’s Somali diaspora. The Treasury first announced it would be focusing on these money service businesses last month.
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John Witiw has been a writer since at least 2015. He’s covered a variety of topics, especially when it comes to film and television.
