Donald Trump has reiterated that he believes the Justice Department owes him compensation for federal investigations, following an October report that he sought about $230 million. At a North Carolina event he accused investigators of wrongdoing and joked, “I hereby give myself $1 billion,” while acknowledging the oddity of being both litigant and potential payee. The episode raises constitutional and ethical questions because a person investigated by the DOJ now leads the department that might authorize such payments.
Trump Jokes “I Hereby Give Myself $1 Billion” While Renewing Claim That DOJ Owes Him Millions
Former President Donald Trump has renewed public claims that the Justice Department owes him compensation for federal investigations into his conduct — a demand first reported in October by The New York Times as roughly $230 million. Speaking to a crowd in North Carolina, Trump amplified that grievance and quipped that, as president and a litigant, he could simply award himself a massive payout.
“We have all the evidence,” Trump told the audience. “And we have to do something about it. We have to do something about it. It’s illegal and disgusting.”
Describing an incongruous legal position, he added:
“You know, I brought a lawsuit, and I’m winning the lawsuit. There’s only one problem: I’m the one who has to settle it. In other words, I am suing, and I’m the one that’s supposed to settle it.”
Trump framed the scenario as unprecedented and joked about the remedy:
“There’s never been a case like this. Donald Trump sues the United States of America. Donald Trump becomes president. And now Donald Trump has to settle the suit. I hereby give myself $1 billion.”
WASHINGTON, DC October 15: US President Donald Trump speaks during a news conference in the Oval Office of the White House on Wednesday October 15, 2025. US deputy attorney general Todd Blanche, director of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) Kash Patel, and US attorney general Pam Bondi were in attendance. (Photo by Demetrius Freeman/The Washington Post via Getty Images)(Demetrius Freeman / The Washington Post via Getty Images)
He even mused — half-seriously — about whether he would keep any such payment or donate it, calling the situation “a strange position to be in” because it would require him to “negotiate with myself.”
To recap: in October, The New York Times reported that Trump sought about $230 million from the Justice Department as compensation for federal probes. Trump has repeatedly said those investigations damaged him “very greatly” and told reporters that Justice Department officials “owe me a lot of money.” He has also emphasized that, as president, any decision on payment would ultimately “have to go across my desk.”
The remarks highlight an unusual and contentious set of circumstances: the Justice Department investigated an individual on suspicion of criminal conduct; that individual was then elected president and now oversees the department; and that individual is publicly asserting an expectation of substantial taxpayer-funded payments. Critics characterize the demand as an expression of entitlement and grievance; supporters argue the probes were politically motivated.
What To Watch
Observers and legal experts will likely scrutinize how pending litigation, the exercise of executive authority, and ethical and constitutional safeguards interact if a sitting president seeks or appears to authorize payments tied to investigations of himself.
Reporting referenced: The New York Times; original post appeared on MS NOW.
