Overview
- President Trump is seeking about $230 million from the Justice Department for alleged wrongful prosecutions via administrative claims filed in 2023 and 2024, and no settlement has been announced.
- Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche, formerly Trump’s defense lawyer, could approve any large settlement, prompting Sen. Lindsey Graham to say he should recuse and Sen. Thom Tillis to warn about the optics during the shutdown.
- Sens. Susan Collins and Shelley Moore Capito questioned the irregularity or feasibility of a payout, while allies such as Kevin Cramer and Rick Scott said any compensation should follow established legal process.
- Ranking Democrats on the House Judiciary and Oversight committees asked the White House to turn over Trump’s filings and argued that the Domestic Emoluments Clause bars payments to a sitting president beyond his salary.
- Trump told the New York Times he was “damaged very greatly” and said he would donate any award to charity, as legal experts pointed to Federal Tort Claims Act hurdles and described the demand as extraordinary.