Trump Says DOJ ‘Owes Him Money,’ Vows to Donate Any Payout to Charity

Former U.S. President Donald Trump on Tuesday responded to a report claiming he is seeking $230 million from the Department of Justice to cover legal costs related to federal investigations against him, saying he had no role in the request but would donate any money he received to charity.

The New York Times reported earlier in the day that Trump is demanding compensation from the Justice Department for what he claims were politically motivated investigations into his conduct.

“I don’t even talk to my lawyers about it,” Trump told reporters. “All I know is the DOJ owes me a lot of money. But I’m not asking for it. If I get any money, I’ll give it to charity—or something like that. I’ll donate it all. But look what they did—they rigged the election.”

Trump has repeatedly and falsely claimed that voter fraud cost him the 2020 election to President Joe Biden, and he sought to overturn the results based on those unsubstantiated allegations.

In a striking twist, Trump is now leading the same federal government that once investigated him over those false claims of election interference.

According to The New York Times, Trump has filed two administrative claims—a step typically taken before initiating a lawsuit—alleging violations of his rights.

The first, submitted in late 2023, challenges the FBI and U.S. special counsel investigations into Russian interference in the 2016 presidential election and potential links between Trump’s campaign and Moscow.

The second, filed in mid-2024, accuses the FBI of violating Trump’s privacy during its search of his Mar-a-Lago estate and the Justice Department of prosecuting him in bad faith over classified documents.

Asked whether DOJ officials might face conflicts in reviewing such claims, Justice Department spokesperson Chad Gilmartin said, “Under all circumstances, Department of Justice officials follow the guidance of career ethics officers.”