Yes, as reported: in October 2025 Trump confirmed he “could be” seeking about $230 million from the Justice Department he now oversees, over investigations of him, and the money was never reported paid. The Trump 230 million claim, as it is usually shared, gets the number and the conflict right but often misses two facts: Trump filed the claims while he was out of office, and his lawyers agreed in May 2026 to drop them.
Where it stands: Under the IRS settlement CBS News reported in May, Trump’s team agreed to drop the claims, and CNN’s annotation of that deal says they “must be withdrawn by June 15.” The settlement “has since been put on hold,” Scripps News reported in late September. As of October 26 we found no report that the claims were revived or paid.
This review covers the entry on our Trump corruption tracker. Trump’s own words, and the responses of his lawyers and the department, come first.
What Trump, his lawyers and DOJ said
Asked by CNN in the Oval Office about the New York Times report, Trump said: “I don’t know about the numbers. I don’t even talk to them about it. All I know is that they would owe me a lot of money. But I’m not looking for money. I’d give it to charity or something.” He also told reporters, per ABC News: “And you know that decision would have to go across my desk, and it’s awfully strange to make a decision where I’m paying myself.” At another point he said: “As far as all of the litigation … they probably owe me a lot of money, but if I get money from our country, I’ll do something nice with it.”
Asked to confirm the figure, a spokesperson for Trump’s outside legal team said only: “President Trump continues to fight back against all Democrat-led Witch Hunts, including the ‘Russia, Russia, Russia’ hoax and the un-Constitutional and un-American weaponization of our justice system by Crooked Joe Biden and his handlers.”
On whether his former lawyers in top DOJ posts were conflicted, department spokesperson Chad Gilmartin said: “In any circumstance, all officials at the Department of Justice follow the guidance of career ethics officials.” ABC reported that the department “declined to further comment on the status of the negotiations.”
Seven parts of the Trump 230 million claim, tested
| Claim | Verdict | What the record shows |
|---|---|---|
| Trump sought $230 million from his own DOJ | Accurate as reported | NYT report, confirmed by ABC’s sources; Trump said it “could be” |
| He filed the claims as president | Not supported by the record | Both were filed in 2023 and 2024, while he was out of office |
| Trump could approve his own payout | Partly accurate | He said it would cross his desk; CNN says he lacks authority, and DOJ rules require a deputy or associate AG |
| The approvers were his former lawyers | Accurate as reported | Todd Blanche defended Trump; Stanley Woodward represented co-defendant Walt Nauta |
| DOJ paid Trump the money | Not supported by the record | No payment reported; the IRS deal promised the plaintiffs no money |
| The claims were dropped | Accurate as reported | Dropped under the May 2026 IRS settlement, which courts have since frozen |
| It dwarfs payouts to abuse victims | Accurate as reported | CNN compared it with the $138.7 million Nassar settlement |
What Trump actually filed
The claims were administrative, not lawsuits. CNN reported that Trump’s lawyers used the Federal Tort Claims Act process, a step that lets the government settle before anyone sues. “The first claim, filed in 2023, seeks damages over the investigations into whether his 2016 presidential campaign had worked with Russia to help him win the election,” CNN wrote. The second, from 2024, targeted the Mar-a-Lago search and the classified documents prosecution.
In that second claim, per CNN, “Trump requests compensation for his legal costs, which he says were about $15 million related to being a criminal defendant charged in court. Trump also says in his claim he deserves a $100 million compensation for punitive damages.” ABC News, confirming the Times report through its own sources, said Trump was “pressing for his Justice Department to pay roughly $230 million.” House Democrats’ H.Res. 1185 describes him as having “filed 2 administrative claims under the Federal Torts Claims Act with the Department of Justice, demanding the Department of Justice pay him $230,000,000.”
Why did nothing happen sooner? CNN cited a person familiar with the process: “Though Trump filed the claims while out of office, the Justice Department did not act on it under the previous administration because of its practice to pause any civil litigation, including administrative claims, while there is a criminal investigation pending.”
Who would have signed off
A common reading is that Trump could simply approve a payment to himself, and his own remark invites it. The rules point elsewhere: “According to the Justice Manual, any settlement would have to get sign-off from either the deputy attorney general or the associate attorney general,” ABC reported, and CNN wrote that “Trump does not have the authority to personally approve the settlement, however.”
The people in those jobs are the conflict critics flagged. ABC noted that “Blanche represented Trump in both the classified documents case and the Jan. 6 case brought by Smith, and the associate attorney general, Stan Woodward, represented Walt Nauta, Trump’s co-defendant in the classified documents case.” Hence “Partly accurate”: Trump did not hold the pen, but the officials who did had defended him or a co-defendant.
CNN added context on scale: the request “far surpasses the $138.7 million settlement made to the victims of convicted sex abuser Larry Nassar.” It also noted that “There is no final word on whether Trump will receive that payment, and the DOJ is not required to publicly announce settlements it reaches over administrative claims,” and that “If the DOJ agrees to Trump’s staggering request, taxpayers would likely foot the bill.”
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How the claims were dropped
The end came through a different case. When Trump’s $10 billion lawsuit against the IRS was settled in May 2026, CBS News reported, “Mr. Trump and his legal team also agreed to drop their administrative claims against the Justice Department after he asked the government to pay him about $230 million to settle two federal damage claims over investigations targeting him during both his first administration and the Biden administration, the department said.”
CNN’s annotated copy of the agreement says the claims “must be withdrawn by June 15,” and that “The three plaintiffs agreed to never again pursue claims similar to the ones brought in the Florida case or through the administrative channels.” The Justice Department told CBS that the plaintiffs would receive “no monetary payment or damages of any kind,” while a separate fund was created for others. Trump’s legal team said he “is entering into this settlement squarely for the benefit of the American people, and he will continue his fight to hold those who wrong America and Americans accountable.”
Before that deal, Rep. Jamie Raskin and other House Democrats introduced H.Res. 1185, urging DOJ to comply with the Domestic Emoluments Clause “by refusing to administratively settle the billions of dollars in legal claims filed against the United States by President Donald Trump.” It was referred to the Judiciary Committee.
The latest: a frozen settlement, no revived claims
The IRS settlement has since run into the courts. A federal judge in Miami found the lawsuit collusive, Scripps reported, and the outlet said that the deal “has since been put on hold,” with “the underlying appeal in the IRS settlement case” still pending. A DOJ spokesperson told Scripps the fund created by the settlement was “dead” but that “any claimant is free to pursue remedies through the courts as the law allows.” The settlement fight is covered in our fact check of the IRS settlement fund.
Whether a frozen settlement changes the status of the withdrawn claims is a legal question no outlet we reviewed has answered. Through October 26, there was no report that Trump had refiled them, sued over them, or received any of the roughly $230 million.
Frequently Asked Questions
Did Trump get $230 million from the Justice Department?
No payment has been reported. Trump’s lawyers agreed to drop the two administrative claims as part of the May 2026 IRS settlement, and the Justice Department said the plaintiffs in that case would receive no monetary payment.
Why did Trump ask the DOJ for $230 million?
His claims sought damages over the Russia investigation and the Mar-a-Lago search and classified documents case. The Mar-a-Lago claim alone listed about $15 million in legal costs and $100 million in punitive damages, CNN reported.
When did Trump file the $230 million claims?
In 2023 and 2024, between his two terms. CNN reported that the department let them sit under the Biden administration, in line with its practice of pausing civil claims during a related criminal investigation.
Who would have approved a settlement of Trump’s claims?
Under the Justice Manual, the deputy attorney general or associate attorney general. At the time those were Todd Blanche, Trump’s former defense lawyer, and Stanley Woodward, who represented Trump co-defendant Walt Nauta.
Could Trump revive the $230 million claims?
The settlement says the plaintiffs agreed never to pursue similar claims again, but that settlement is now on hold in court. As of October 26, no report showed the claims had been revived.
Sources
- What we know about Trump’s bid to claim $230 million from his own Justice Department — CNN, October 22, 2025
- Trump says he ‘could be’ seeking $230 million from his own Justice Department — CNN via Yahoo News, October 2025
- Trump wants DOJ to pay him $230 million for previous investigations: Sources — ABC News via ABC7, October 21, 2025
- Trump settles $10 billion lawsuit against IRS over tax returns, sets up $1.7 billion fund — CBS News, May 2026
- Trump’s IRS settlement agreement, annotated — CNN, May 2026
- H.Res. 1185, 119th Congress (introduced) — Congress.gov, April 16, 2026
- Appeals court rejects bid to block sanctions tied to Trump’s $1.8B IRS deal — Scripps News, September 2026
This article is news reporting and analysis based on the public sources listed above, as they stood on the dates shown. Where officials, lawmakers or analysts disagree, including on whether an action is lawful, their positions are attributed to them; Donald Trump Class Action is not a court and nothing here is legal advice. Facts in a developing story can change.