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Welcome to The Logoff: President Donald Trump is trying to pay himself $230 million in taxpayer money.
Wait, what? The payment, which was first reported Tuesday by the New York Times, would take the form of compensation for two administrative claims Trump has filed against the Justice Department over investigations into his 2016 campaign’s ties with Russia, and over the FBI raid of Mar-a-Lago and later DOJ indictment over his retention of classified documents upon leaving the White House in 2021.
Can he do that? It’s shockingly, cartoonishly unethical — one source described it to the Times as “so basic and fundamental, you don’t need a law professor to explain it” — but it also doesn’t seem like anyone can stop him.
Trump filed the claims, which are not lawsuits, in 2023 and 2024; payment for any claims would have to be approved by the Justice Department, and would be made to Trump personally.
There are two people at the DOJ who could approve a payment of the magnitude Trump is demanding — both were appointed to their roles by Trump. One is Trump’s own former personal lawyer, Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche, and the other previously represented other figures in Trump’s close orbit. It’s hard to imagine a clearer conflict of interest.
Why does this matter? Trump has a long history of demanding eye-poppingly large numbers for perceived offenses; earlier this year, he sued the New York Times for $15 billion in a complaint that was subsequently dismissed. In this case, however, the courts aren’t there to act as a guardrail; there’s nothing to stop the payment, which may not even be publicly disclosed when it’s made.
And with that, it’s time to log off…
My colleague Bryan Walsh does a reliably fantastic job highlighting good news out in the world, and I particularly enjoyed his latest piece, all about the benefits of urban cycling. To name a few: It’s efficient, good for the climate, and good for you — and cities, in the US and elsewhere, are finally starting to invest more in protected bike lanes and other infrastructure for cyclists. You can read the story here; have a great evening and we’ll see you back here tomorrow!
