Report: Justice Department Settles With Flynn for $1.2M

UPDATE Mar 25, 2026 5:00 PM CDT

The Justice Department has settled a lawsuit from Michael Flynn and sources tell the AP the former national security adviser will be receiving $1.2 million. Flynn, national security adviser for the first 22 days of President Trump's first term, pleaded guilty in 2017 to lying to the FBI. He later tried to withdraw the plea and was granted a full pardon from Trump in 2020. In 2023, Flynn sued the DOJ for $50 million, alleging he was "improperly and politically" targeted by Robert Mueller's investigation of Russian interference in the 2016 election. The DOJ said the settlement is "important step in redressing" what it calls the "historic injustice" of the investigation. Trump has described Flynn as a "innocent" man who was unfairly targeted by the FBI, CBS News reports.

Nov 15, 2025 12:31 PM CST

The Justice Department is in settlement talks with Michael Flynn and Stefan Passantino, two former Trump officials who claim they faced politically motivated actions and are seeking millions from the government. Flynn, Trump's first national security adviser, is claiming $50 million for what he says was a wrongful prosecution during the Mueller probe. Passantino, a former senior White House lawyer, alleges a House committee damaged his reputation by leaking private information during its investigation into the 2020 election. Court filings show the negotiations began in late summer, reports Bloomberg.

The Biden-era Justice Department had fought both cases and won initial rounds. Flynn initially pleaded guilty to lying about his contacts with a Russian official but later reversed course and was pardoned by Trump in 2020. Passantino maintains the Jan. 6 House committee leaked information to the media, damaging his reputation and livelihood. The terms of the possible settlements remain unclear, and the Justice Department has declined to comment. The government faces a wave of compensation claims from Trump allies. The president, too, has suggested the DOJ owes him $230 million over past investigations.