President Donald Trump is demanding $230 million in compensation from the Department of Justice (DOJ) for charges brought against him after his first term. His complaints are centered around the Department’s investigation of Russian interference in the 2016 election as well as a classified documents case that led to an FBI raid at his property in Mar-a-Lago, a federal case that was dropped in adherence with a DOJ precedent not to prosecute a sitting president.
President Trump has raised two formal complaints through an administrative claims process. According to the New York Times, his first claim states that his rights were violated during the DOJ’s 2016 investigation. The second concerns classified documents found in his Mar-a-Lago estate. These claims were confirmed in an Oval Office event with Attorney General Pam Bondi and Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche on October 21, where he responded to the concept of receiving a large paycheck from his own government.
“…it’s awfully strange to make a decision where I’m paying myself. But I was damaged very greatly,” Trump remarked. “And any money that I get, I would give to charity.”
President Trump is seeking $115 million per complaint – a total of $230 million – which means the DOJ requires approval by the deputy or associate attorney general to grant any funds. The Deputy Attorney General, Todd Blanche, was Trump’s personal lawyer. This has raised major ethical concerns for his credibility as Deputy Attorney General. Justice Department spokesperson Chad Gilmartin has stated “In any circumstance, all officials at the Department of Justice follow the guidance of career ethics officials.” Additionally, Democrats on the House Judiciary Committee are initiating an investigation into Trump’s claims, further supporting the DOJ spokesperson’s pushback to the Trump administration.
Beyond a legal conflict of interest, constitutional questions have risen. Article II, Section I, Clause 7 of the Constitution states that a President may receive compensation for their services (a presidential salary), and no further financial compensation may be provided by the United States. Discussion surrounding whether or not Trump’s $230 million demand from the DOJ falls under the category of additional financial compensation has led many constitutional experts to agree that Trump’s actions are in direct violation of the country’s laws.
“Not only do we have the president overseeing the individuals who would make the determination of whether or not he gets the compensation he seeks – those individuals owe him their very jobs,” Hofstra University law professor James Sample told ABC News Live. “We are running out of synonyms for the word ‘unprecedented’ ”. As Trump’s requests for government compensation continue, the overall integrity and credibility of Department of Justice officials will be put on trial for all of America to see.
