Nationwide — Trump is demanding that the Department of Justice pay him $230 million in compensation for years of investigations that he says damaged his reputation and career. The probes date back to before his first term and continued after he left the White House. He said he was “damaged very greatly” and would donate any compensation to charity.
According to CNBC, Trump’s claims were filed through an administrative process that could lead to lawsuits. One complaint, submitted in 2023, involves the DOJ’s Russia election interference probe. Another, filed in 2024, accuses the FBI of violating his rights during its 2022 search of Mar-a-Lago for classified documents.
Trump was later charged in Florida for allegedly keeping those records and obstructing efforts to retrieve them. The case was dismissed, and the DOJ dropped its appeal after Trump won the 2024 election and returned to office.
Trump said the amount mentioned “could be” correct and that “they probably owe me a lot of money.” He added that any settlement “would have to go across my desk,” calling it unusual to decide damages in a case where he is both plaintiff and president.
Trump referenced the claims during a recent Oval Office event with Attorney General Pam Bondi, Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche, and FBI Director Kash Patel. Blanche, who previously served as Trump’s defense lawyer, is among those who may review any potential settlement.
Trump’s legal team said he continues to challenge what they call politically driven investigations. The DOJ declined to comment on his claims but said its officials always follow ethics guidelines in cases involving potential conflicts of interest.