On Tuesday, a former senior adviser to President Trump from his 2016 campaign expressed doubts about Trump’s request for a $230 million settlement from the Department of Justice (DOJ).
Reportedly, Trump’s legal team is pursuing compensation due to prior inquiries concerning his management of classified documents, which led to the Mar-a-Lago raid in 2022, as well as the 2016 investigation into the alleged Russian influence in the election. The New York Times has initially reported details about the payment.
David Urban, the former adviser, commented during a CNN segment, “If the president wants an apology from the DOJ or anyone he feels wronged him, that’s one thing. But even if an ordinary person stepped up to pay it, I don’t think it would tarnish Donald Trump’s image, right?”
He continued, “If you look globally at Trump’s ventures and how well the Trump Organization is doing today, it seems unaffected by these issues.”
Earlier, Urban characterized many lawsuits against Trump as “terrible,” yet emphasized that any apology shouldn’t come at the expense of taxpayers, suggesting that accountability is important.
According to the Times, Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche, who previously served as Trump’s personal lawyer in criminal matters, is one of the two officials who will determine if the president can obtain financial compensation for past inquiries.
A spokesperson for the DOJ, Chad Gilmartin, stated that officials are “adhering to guidance from professional ethics authorities.” However, it’s worth noting that the chief ethics adviser of the department was dismissed in July.
Trump’s legal team argues that his rights were infringed upon during these investigations.
On Tuesday, Trump told the press he wasn’t exactly sure how much his lawyers were asking for, but insisted he believes he should receive financial compensation. “I don’t know the specifics; I haven’t discussed it with them. All I know is they owe me a substantial amount, but I’m not focused on the money. I plan to donate it to charity or something,” he said.
He added, “Now, it will involve the state, which is interesting since I’ll be the one making the decisions. Those decisions will end up on my desk. And honestly, it feels strange to be the one determining the damages myself. Has anyone ever been in a position where they had to set their own damages? I feel I’ve faced significant losses, and whatever I receive, I intend to give to charity.”
