He said he could donate any taxpayer money or use it to help pay for a ballroom he’s building at the White House.
The status of the claims and any negotiations over them within the Justice Department was not immediately clear.
One of Trump’s lead defense lawyers in the Mar-a-Lago investigation, Todd Blanche, is now the deputy attorney general at the Justice Department.
“In any circumstance, all officials at the Department of Justice follow the guidance of career ethics officials,” a Justice Department spokesperson said.
A White House spokesperson referred comment to the Justice Department.
WASHINGTON (AP) — On Tuesday, President Donald Trump claimed that the federal government owes him “a lot of money” for previous Justice Department investigations into his behavior. He also insisted that he would have the final say on any payout because any outcome would “have to go across my desk.”. “.”.
When questioned by reporters at the White House about a New York Times article claiming that he had filed administrative claims prior to being reelected, requesting approximately $230 million in damages for the FBI’s 2022 search of his Mar-a-Lago property for classified documents and for a separate investigation into possible Russian involvement in his 2016 presidential campaign, Trump responded.
Trump claimed on Tuesday he had not discussed the matter with officials and that he was unaware of the dollar amounts involved. He did, however, add, “I just know that they would owe me a lot of money.”. “.”.
Trump said, “It’s interesting, ’cause I’m the one that makes the decision, right?” despite the Justice Department’s procedure for examining such claims.
“That choice would have to cross my desk,” he continued.
He stated that any taxpayer funds could be donated or used to assist in the construction of a ballroom at the White House.
It wasn’t immediately clear how the claims stood or whether the Justice Department was negotiating them. Todd Blanche, a key defense attorney for Trump during the Mar-a-Lago probe, is currently the Justice Department’s deputy attorney general. In the same case, Trump’s valet and co-defendant Walt Nauta was represented by Stanley Woodward, the current associate attorney general.
A Justice Department spokesperson stated, “Under no circumstances do any official at the Department of Justice disregard the advice of career ethics officials.”. The Justice Department was consulted for comment by a White House spokesperson.
During his White House appearance last week with Blanche, FBI Director Kash Patel, and Attorney General Pam Bondi—who was a member of Trump’s legal team during one of the impeachment cases against him—Trump indicated that he was interested in receiving compensation.
“When I became president, I declared, ‘I’m suing myself.’ I had a lawsuit that was doing really well. I am unsure. “How do you resolve the lawsuit?” he asked. “Give me X dollars,” I’ll say, “but I’m not sure what to do about the lawsuit.”. It looks bad that I won this fantastic lawsuit. I don’t know because I’m suing myself. “”.
According to The Times, the two claims were submitted to the Justice Department as part of a procedure aimed at avoiding litigation and resolving federal complaints through settlements.
In August 2024, he filed an administrative claim that The Associated Press reviewed. The claim alleges that he hoarded classified documents and obstructed government efforts to retrieve them, and it seeks compensatory and punitive damages for the search of his Mar-a-Lago estate and the ensuing case.
His claim-filing attorney claimed the case was a “malicious prosecution” by the Biden administration to undermine Trump’s reelection campaign, requiring him to spend tens of millions of dollars on his defense.
Due to departmental policy prohibiting the indictment of a sitting president, Justice Department special counsel Jack Smith dropped the criminal charges that resulted from that investigation last November.
According to the Times, the other claim is for damages relating to the long-running Trump-Russia investigation, which still enrages the president.
