President Donald J. Trump has reportedly now renewed his public confrontation with Senator Adam Schiff, leveling allegations of mortgage fraud against the California Democrat in a post on his social media platform.
On Thursday morning, Mr. Trump posted that Senator Schiff—who represents California but owns a home in Maryland—had “reported his primary residence to be in Maryland rather than in California,” a claim the president described as evidence of a broader pattern of financial deception.
“The FRAUD began with the refinance of his Maryland property on February 6, 2009,” Mr. Trump wrote, “and continued through multiple transactions until the Maryland property was correctly designated as a second home on October 13, 2020.”
Primary-residence mortgages typically carry lower interest rates and more favorable terms than second-home or investment-property loans. By asserting that Mr. Schiff falsely claimed the Maryland house as a primary residence for more than a decade, Mr. Trump accused him of illegally benefiting from reduced loan costs.
“This is very serious,” Mr. Trump added, directing his post at “CROOKED Adam Schiff (now a Senator)” and concluding that he “needs to be brought to justice.”
The allegations echo a separate ethics complaint, filed in October 2024 by private individuals, that accused Mr. Schiff of a variety of wrongdoing, including mortgage fraud.
While those claims garnered attention in May, Mr. Schiff has not been charged and has publicly denied any misconduct.
Mr. Trump’s assertions arrive amid a broader strategy by his allies to highlight alleged wrongdoing by prominent Democrats.
Earlier this year, officials associated with the Federal Housing Finance Agency (FHFA) prompted mortgage fraud inquiries involving New York Attorney General Letitia James—an investigation she denounced as politically motivated.
Senator Schiff, who has become a favorite target of Mr. Trump since leading the first impeachment of the former president, has not yet responded publicly to the mortgage fraud accusations.
His team has historically dismissed similar claims as partisan smears.
Experts in mortgage regulation note that determining fraud requires solid documentation and clear evidence of intent to deceive lenders.
Civil remedies and criminal charges would depend on investigations by federal agencies such as the FHFA or the Department of Justice.
As of now, neither agency has confirmed opening inquiries related to Mr. Schiff. The FHFA declined to comment on the matter, and the Department of Justice did not respond to requests for information.
For now, the dispute serves as the latest salvo in a fast-escalating partisan clash, with Mr. Trump continuing to leverage his platform to bring political pressure and public attention to his accusations.
Unless formal investigations are launched, the claims remain allegations in a broader feint of political theater.
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