DOJ To Pay Ex-Trump Adviser Michael Flynn $1M

The Justice Department has agreed to pay roughly $1.2 million to former Trump national security adviser Michael Flynn, settling a lawsuit in which he claimed he was politically targeted during Trump’s first administration, according to ABC News.

The payout falls far short of the $50 million Flynn initially sought when he filed the lawsuit in 2023. Still, the settlement is likely to raise fresh questions about whether Flynn benefited from his continued loyalty to President Trump.

A federal judge dismissed Flynn’s case in 2024, siding with a Justice Department motion filed during the Biden administration and ruling that Flynn failed to meet the legal standard for malicious prosecution. After Trump returned to office, however, Flynn’s attorneys moved to revive the case. The department later confirmed in a court filing that it had entered settlement discussions with Flynn’s legal team.

In a statement, a Justice Department spokesperson framed the agreement as corrective action: “Those who instigated the Russia Collusion Hoax and Crossfire Hurricane abused their power to mislead the American people and tarnish the reputations of President Trump and his supporters. Today’s settlement, secured by this Justice Department, is an important step in redressing that historic injustice.”

Flynn had previously pleaded guilty to lying to FBI agents during a January 2017 White House interview about his contacts with then-Russian Ambassador Sergey Kislyak, part of the Mueller investigation.

In 2020, under Attorney General William Barr, the Trump Justice Department moved to drop the case entirely, sharply criticizing the FBI’s handling of the investigation and arguing the charges should never have been brought. The move drew skepticism from a federal judge in Washington, D.C., who questioned the department’s reasoning. Flynn was ultimately granted a full pardon by Trump after the 2020 election.

Since leaving government, Flynn has remained closely aligned with Trump’s inner circle and built a large following online, where he has promoted a range of conspiracy-driven claims.