President Donald Trump ignited a political firestorm on Tuesday morning after publicly calling out Senator Adam Schiff (D-CA) on Truth Social, accusing him of committing mortgage fraud and demanding his prosecution.
“I have always suspected Shifty Adam Schiff was a scam artist,” Trump wrote. “And now I learn that Fannie Mae’s Financial Crimes Division has concluded that Adam Schiff engaged in a sustained pattern of possible mortgage fraud.”
According to President Trump, Schiff fraudulently claimed his Maryland property as his primary residence in order to secure a lower mortgage rate, despite representing California in Congress and being legally required to reside in that state.
“Adam Schiff said that his primary residence was in MARYLAND to get a cheaper mortgage and rip off America, when he must LIVE in CALIFORNIA because he was a Congressman from CALIFORNIA,” Trump wrote. “I always knew Adam Schiff was a Crook.”
The alleged misconduct dates back to February 6, 2009, when Schiff refinanced his Maryland property. Trump alleges the misrepresentation continued for more than a decade, until October 13, 2020, when the property was finally reclassified as a second home.
“Mortgage Fraud is very serious,” Trump added. “And CROOKED Adam Schiff (now a Senator) needs to be brought to justice.”
These accusations come on the heels of a May 2025 report from the USA Herald, which revealed a formal ethics complaint filed in October 2024 by Republican figures Christine Bish and Darren Ellis. The complaint accuses Schiff of engaging in a long-running pattern of mortgage fraud, voter fraud, and improper campaign filings going back over 20 years.
The claims gained momentum in recent weeks after the Federal Housing Finance Agency (FHFA), under Director Bill Pulte, issued a criminal referral to the Department of Justice. The referral outlines Schiff’s alleged misrepresentation of residency in multiple mortgage transactions while serving in the House of Representatives.
An unnamed senior official in the Trump administration told reporters that Schiff could face multiple felony counts—potentially one for every mortgage payment made during the years the property was fraudulently classified.
Senator Schiff has denied all allegations, calling the accusations politically motivated and retaliatory in nature. “This is just Donald Trump’s latest attempt at political retaliation against his perceived enemies,” Schiff wrote in a post on X (formerly Twitter). “I will not be intimidated, and I will continue to speak the truth.”
Schiff, now a U.S. Senator representing California, was elected in 2024 to fill the seat left vacant by the late Senator Dianne Feinstein. He previously served in the House for over two decades and was a leading figure in Trump’s first impeachment in 2020.
This isn’t the first time the Trump administration has pursued mortgage fraud charges against prominent Democrats. In May, New York Attorney General Letitia James was also referred for federal investigation over similar allegations—charges she has denied as baseless and politically charged.
While no formal charges have been filed against Schiff as of this writing, the DOJ is reportedly reviewing the referral. Whether it leads to an indictment or fizzles as another flashpoint in a highly polarized political climate remains to be seen.
