Michael Flynn is negotiating a roughly $50 million settlement with the DOJ, saying he was wrongly prosecuted by special counsel Robert Mueller. He pleaded guilty, later tried to withdraw the plea, and was pardoned by President Trump in 2020; a damages suit was dismissed in December. Reports suggest the incoming Trump administration is open to a payout, a move that could reinforce Flynn’s ties to the president and energize QAnon and Christian nationalist supporters.
DOJ Nears $50M Settlement with Michael Flynn — What It Would Mean Politically
Michael Flynn is negotiating a roughly $50 million settlement with the DOJ, saying he was wrongly prosecuted by special counsel Robert Mueller. He pleaded guilty, later tried to withdraw the plea, and was pardoned by President Trump in 2020; a damages suit was dismissed in December. Reports suggest the incoming Trump administration is open to a payout, a move that could reinforce Flynn’s ties to the president and energize QAnon and Christian nationalist supporters.
10:45 PM, 11/14/2025Politics
Department of Justice Nears Settlement with Michael Flynn
Michael Flynn, Donald Trump’s former national security adviser, is negotiating a settlement with the Department of Justice seeking roughly $50 million in restitution. Flynn argues he was unfairly prosecuted by former special counsel Robert Mueller over alleged false statements to the FBI about conversations with a Russian official. He initially pleaded guilty, later sought to withdraw that plea and challenge the prosecution, and was ultimately pardoned by President Trump in 2020.
After the pardon, Flynn filed a lawsuit seeking damages; a federal judge dismissed that suit in December. While the Justice Department under President Biden resisted Flynn’s claims, reports indicate the incoming Trump administration is open to negotiating a payout.
This development echoes a separate move by Mr. Trump to seek roughly $240 million from the DOJ to resolve his own allegations of politically motivated prosecution. Flynn served as national security adviser for just 22 days in 2017, resigning after the disclosure of his conversations with then‑Russian ambassador Sergey Kislyak.
Since his resignation, Flynn has been a prominent promoter of the QAnon conspiracy movement and an outspoken advocate for Christian nationalist ideas. If a substantial settlement proceeds with President Trump’s backing, it would underscore Flynn’s continued political ties and could energize conspiracy-minded and nationalist supporters.
What to watch next: whether the incoming Justice Department finalizes a payout, how Congress and legal observers respond, and whether the settlement becomes part of broader political and legal battles over alleged prosecutorial misconduct.