Donald Trump has made waves by demanding a substantial $230 million from the Justice Department. This claim serves as a form of restitution for the federal investigations he endured during the Democratic administration. According to sources with knowledge of the situation, Trump has lodged two administrative complaints seeking compensation for what he argues were violations of his rights. These filings, not yet made public, were reported by the New York Times.

When questioned about pursuing this financial settlement, Trump did not deny his intentions but seemed momentarily caught off guard. He remarked to reporters, “Well, I guess they probably owe me a lot of money for that,” when asked about seeking compensation from his own Justice Department.

Trump assured that if he were to receive any funds, he would direct them towards charitable causes or potentially donate to the White House. He also took the opportunity to remind everyone that he has not accepted the presidential salary since the commencement of his first term. This unprecedented demand adds a layer of complexity for Attorney General Pam Bondi, who faces pressure from Trump to prosecute his political adversaries. Despite these public demands, Bondi maintains that her prosecutorial integrity remains intact, even after a private text from Trump mistakenly made public, read, “JUSTICE MUST BE SERVED, NOW!”

When asked about potential conflicts of interest regarding Trump’s monetary demands, a spokesman told the Daily Mail that ‘all officials at the Department of Justice follow the guidance of career ethics officials.’ Trump was under multiple federal investigations while he was a presidential candidate. But when he went on to win the election, Trump took over the entities that are now responsible for reviewing the claims made in late 2023 and the summer of 2024.

Sources detailed how the first complaint seeks damages for the FBI and special counsel investigation into Russian election interference and potential connections between the Kremlin and Trump’s 2016 campaign. The second, they said, claims the FBI violated Trump’s privacy while searching for classified documents during the raid on his residence at Mar-a-Lago and accuses the Justice Department of malicious prosecution.

It also accuses then-attorney general Merrick Garland, then-FBI Director Christopher Wray and then-special counsel Jack Smith of ‘harassment’ intended to sway the outcome of the election. ‘This malicious prosecution led President Trump to spend tens of millions of dollars defending the case and his reputation,’ the second claim said, according to the Times.

The complaints have not been made public, but those familiar with the filings say that Trump is seeking $230 million in compensation from the federal government. Two people familiar with Trump’s claims tell the Times that he has not yet been paid by the federal government but that he plans to be compensated for the investigations.

Administrative claims are not lawsuits, but are complaints submitted to the DOJ to see if a settlement can be reached without going to federal court. If the Justice Department formally rejects the claim or declines to act, the filing party could then sue.

It’s likely in this instance that Trump will face a fruitful outcome since he is negotiating with people who work for the government he controls. Those who would be tasked with approving the complaint are senior officials who defended him in court or are already in his close circle. Compensation would come from the DOJ’s coffers, which are covered by taxpayers. Any settlements exceeding $4 million are required by DOJ procedure to receive approval by deputy attorney general or associated attorney general.