President Donald Trump is asking the U.S. Department of Justice to pay him $230 million in compensation for investigations during his first term and a legal case brought against him after he left office, according to the New York Times.
Trump has submitted two complaints through an administrative claims process, according to the newspaper, which cited people familiar with the matter.
The president seemed to confirm the compensation effort when asked about it during an Oval Office event Oct. 21, remarking on the extraordinary nature of the president potentially overseeing a huge payout for himself from the government he runs.
“You know that decision would have to go across my desk,” Trump said. “And it’s awfully strange to make a decision where I’m paying myself… to get one of those cases where you have to decide how much you’re paying yourself in damages.”
“But I was damaged very greatly,” Trump argued. “And any money that I would get, I would give to charity.”
President Donald Trump looks on during an event celebrating Diwali in the Oval Office of the White House on October 21, 2025 in Washington, DC. Trump held the event to honor the Hindu festival that symbolizes the victory of light over darkness.
Asked later about the amount he’s seeking, Trump said “I don’t know what the numbers are. I don’t even talk to them about it.”
The New York Times reported that Trump’s first claim alleges his rights were violated, including during the investigation into whether his 2016 presidential campaign had ties to Russia. The second claim revolves around the FBI search at Trump’s Mar-a-Lago property in Palm Beach, Florida, during an investigation into whether he mishandled classified documents, according to the Times.
A claim form published by the Times states that Trump is seeking $115 million for the Mar-a-Lago raid and is alleging “intrusion upon seclusion, malicious prosecution, and abuse of process.”
The Justice Department requires claim settlements of more than $4 million to be approved by the deputy attorney general or associate attorney general, according to the report. Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche was Trump’s personal lawyer.
Asked about a potential conflict of interest, Justice Department spokesperson Chad Gilmartin said “In any circumstance, all officials at the Department of Justice follow the guidance of career ethics officials.”
Democrats on the House Judiciary Committee announced on social media that the leading Democrat on the panel, Rep. Jamie Raskin, is initiating what they called an investigation “into this $230 million shakedown of the taxpayers by Trump.”
Both claims were filed before Trump won his 2024 campaign, according to the newspaper.
Contributing: Aysha Bagchi
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Trump wants $230 million in compensation from DOJ, report says
