President Donald Trump claimed on Tuesday that he is potentially owed a significant sum of money in response to reports indicating he was seeking $230 million in damages linked to two investigations into his actions. The New York Times disclosed that Trump had submitted administrative claims before his re-election last November, concerning the FBI’s 2022 search of his Mar-a-Lago property for classified documents and a previous probe into potential connections between Russia and his 2016 presidential campaign.
The current status of these claims and any discussions within the Justice Department regarding them remains unclear. A Justice Department spokesperson informed The Associated Press that all officials at the department adhere to the guidance of career ethics officials in any situation. However, Trump asserted during a press interaction in the Oval Office on Tuesday that any decision on this matter would need to pass through him.
Bennett Gershman, an ethics professor at Pace University, labeled the situation as “a travesty,” emphasizing the fundamental ethical conflict inherent in the circumstances. This development comes amidst Democratic claims that the Justice Department is aiding Trump in targeting political adversaries, as three of his critics have recently faced indictments.
One of the administrative claims, filed in 2024 and reviewed by The Associated Press, seeks compensatory and punitive damages concerning the search of his Mar-a-Lago estate in August 2022. Trump’s attorney filing the claim alleged that the case constituted “malicious prosecution” orchestrated by the Joe Biden administration to impede Trump’s White House bid, resulting in substantial legal expenses for Trump’s defense.
Prosecutors contended that Trump, a private citizen at the time, resisted requests to return all documents and obstructed the retrieval of some documents after a subpoena was issued. Trump faced 37 felony charges, including alleged violations of the Espionage Act. The documents in question included 18 marked as top secret, 54 as secret, and 31 as confidential.
This incident marked one of four criminal indictments faced by Trump across his two terms, with Jack Smith appointed in November 2022 to oversee the case. A Florida judge eventually dismissed the documents case; however, an appeal planned by Smith’s team was rendered moot following Trump’s election victory.
The other complaint seeks damages related to the concluded Trump-Russia investigation, which continues to incense the president. Special counsel Robert Mueller stated in 2019 that charging Trump was never under consideration, but emphasized that the investigation could not absolve him of allegations of obstructing the probe.
In addition to these claims, Trump hinted at potential compensation related to the alleged election fraud in 2020. Recounts, reviews, and audits in pivotal states confirmed Biden’s win, with numerous legal challenges from Trump being rejected by judges, some of whom were appointed by Trump himself.
Despite the absence of evidence of widespread fraud altering the election outcome, a significant number of Trump supporters descended on the Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021, to challenge Biden’s victory certification. Smith was overseeing an indictment into Trump’s purported role in instigating the riot, a case that dissipated with Trump’s 2024 election win.
Trump subsequently pardoned nearly all individuals charged in connection with the Capitol attack earlier this year, including leaders of militant groups accused of seditious conspiracy. Several rioters have since been re-arrested, charged, or sentenced for various offenses, including threats against public figures.
During a recent White House appearance, Trump expressed his interest in potential compensation, mentioning the possibility of donating the funds to charity or allocating them to White House renovations. Democratic Senator Adam Schiff criticized Trump’s stance, alleging that the president is seeking significant payouts for those involved in the insurrection. Schiff, a manager during Trump’s first impeachment, is reportedly under investigation for mortgage fraud, alongside other Trump critics facing recent indictments.
If the Justice Department approves compensation for the investigations, Trump proposed donating the money to charity or utilizing it for White House renovations amid the contentious demolition work in the East Wing as part of his White House ballroom renovation plans.
