Trump Claims He Would Decide How to Use Funds From potential Federal Settlements
WASHINGTON – Former President Donald Trump indicated he would have ultimate control over any funds he receives through claims filed with the Justice Department seeking damages related to investigations he deems politically motivated. Trump revealed his interest in “compensation” during a recent White House appearance with attorney Todd Blanche, former FBI Director Kash Patel, and Attorney General Pam Bondi.
The claims, filed as part of a process to resolve federal complaints without litigation, include one seeking damages over the search of his Mar-a-Lago estate and the subsequent case alleging mishandling of classified documents. The other relates to the long-concluded Trump-Russia investigation.Trump described a hypothetical scenario where he would negotiate a settlement amount while facing a lawsuit as president, stating, “I’ll say, ‘Give me X dollars,’ and I don’t know what to do with the lawsuit.”
One administrative claim, filed in August 2024, alleges a “malicious prosecution” by the Biden administration, claiming Trump spent “tens of millions of dollars” defending himself. This claim stems from the investigation led by Special Counsel Jack Smith, which was paused in November due to Department of Justice policy against indicting a sitting president.
The Justice Department stated that all officials adhere to guidance from career ethics officials. A White House spokesperson deferred comment to the Justice Department. Notably, Todd Blanche has been appointed as the deputy attorney general at the Justice department, and Stanley Woodward, the current associate attorney general, previously represented Trump’s co-defendant in the classified documents case, Walt Nauta.