U.S President Donald Trump has filed a $230 million compensation claim against the Department of Justice, asserting that investigations into him, spanning before and during his presidential terms, caused significant damage.
The New York Times reported that any settlement would require approval from DOJ officials appointed by the President, including Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche, who previously served as his defence lawyer.
Speaking at the White House, the President said, “As far as all of the litigation … yeah, they probably owe me a lot of money,” acknowledging the reported amount. He added, “It’s awfully strange to make a decision where I’m paying myself,” but said any funds awarded would be donated to charity.
The claims relate to two probes: one into alleged Russian interference in the 2016 election and connections to the president’s campaign, and another accusing the FBI of rights violations during the 2022 Mar-a-Lago search over classified documents.
After a federal indictment on document retention charges was dismissed and the president’s re-election in 2024, the DOJ dropped its appeal, effectively ending the case.
At a recent Oval Office event, the President highlighted the oddity of suing his own administration: “I have a lawsuit that was doing very well… I’m sort of suing myself.”
His legal team described the investigations as “Democrat-led Witch Hunts” and accused political opponents of “weaponising” the justice system.
The White House referred media questions to the DOJ, which declined to comment but assured all officials follow strict ethics guidelines to avoid conflicts of interest.