President Donald Trump said Tuesday that the federal government owes him “a lot of money” for past Justice Department investigations and declared that he would ultimately decide whether to award himself compensation because “that decision would have to go across my desk.”
Trump’s remarks at the White House came in response to a New York Times report that he had filed administrative claims before his reelection, seeking about $230 million in damages.
Why It Matters
The claims relate to the FBI’s 2022 search of his Mar-a-Lago estate for classified documents and to the Justice Department’s earlier probe into possible ties between his 2016 campaign and Russia.
What To Know
Trump said he was unaware of the specific amounts and suggested he had not yet discussed the claims with federal officials. “All I know is that they would owe me a lot of money,” he said. He also joked that he might donate any settlement to charity or use it “to help pay for the ballroom I’m building at the White House.”
Although the Justice Department follows an established process for reviewing such administrative claims, Trump asserted that he, as president, would have the final say. “It’s interesting, ’cause I’m the one that makes the decision, right?” he told reporters. “That decision would have to go across my desk.”
Trump alluded to his compensation efforts last week during a White House meeting with Blanche, Attorney General Pam Bondi and FBI Director Kash Patel.
“I have a lawsuit that was doing very well, and when I became president, I said, ‘I’m suing myself,’” Trump said. “I’ll say, ‘Give me X dollars,’ and I don’t know what to do with the lawsuit. It’s a great lawsuit and now I won — it looks bad. I’m suing myself, so I don’t know.”
According to the Times, the two administrative claims were filed as part of a process meant to resolve federal disputes and avoid litigation. One claim, filed in August 2024 and reviewed by The Associated Press, seeks compensatory and punitive damages over the Mar-a-Lago search and subsequent criminal case accusing Trump of hoarding classified records and obstructing efforts to recover them.
His attorney described that case as a “malicious prosecution” by the Biden administration intended to harm Trump’s campaign, saying it forced him to spend tens of millions of dollars in legal fees. That investigation produced criminal charges that Special Counsel Jack Smith dropped last November, citing the Justice Department’s policy against indicting a sitting president.
The second claim, according to the Times, seeks damages tied to the long-concluded Trump-Russia investigation — an inquiry that Trump has repeatedly condemned as politically motivated and which continues to anger him years later.
What People Are Saying
The Brennan Center’s Daniel Weiner wrote on X, “On its face, the Constitution’s Domestic Emoluments Clause bars payments to the president from the federal government. This would seem to be exactly the kind of scenario the Framers worried about when they included this provision—although the payout demand was first made in 2023 and arises from events that happened when Trump was not in office, so he can argue it’s not prohibited.”
A Justice Department spokesperson told the Associated Press, “In any circumstance, all officials at the Department of Justice follow the guidance of career ethics officials.”
What Happens Next
The status of the claims within the department remains unclear. One of Trump’s former defense attorneys, Todd Blanche — who represented him in the Mar-a-Lago case — now serves as deputy attorney general. Another top official, Associate Attorney General Stanley Woodward, previously represented Trump’s co-defendant and aide, Walt Nauta.
Updates: 10/21/25, 7:19 p.m. ET: This article was updated with new information and remarks.
Updates: 10/21/25, 7:40 p.m. ET: This article was updated with new information and remarks.
