Trump Seeks $230 Million From Justice Department Over Prior Probes

Overview

• Trump has lodged administrative claims seeking roughly $230 million for alleged rights violations tied to the 2016 Russia inquiry and the Mar-a-Lago documents investigation.
• He used the Standard Form 95 process in late 2023 and 2024, a required step that allows the DOJ to settle or triggers the option to sue in federal court if denied.
• Any payout could be approved by senior department leaders, including Deputy Todd Blanche and Civil Division chief Stanley Woodward Jr., who previously represented Trump or his associates.
• A DOJ spokesperson, Chad Gilmartin, said department employees follow the guidance of ethics officials, as coverage notes the July dismissal of the agency’s principal ethics adviser.
• Trump acknowledged the unusual situation in public remarks, saying he could seek $230 million and would donate any money to charity, while describing the decision as strange because it involves paying himself.