Michael Flynn argued he was unfairly targeted in Special Counsel Robert Mueller’s investigation
The US Department of Justice has settled a lawsuit brought by Michael Flynn, a former national security adviser to President Donald Trump, stemming from his prosecution during the Russiagate investigation.
A federal court in Tampa, which had been considering Flynn’s claim of malicious prosecution, was notified of the agreement on Wednesday. According to media reports, the DOJ will pay approximately $1.2 million – a fraction of the $50 million Flynn had originally sought.
Flynn served in Trump’s first administration and was among several figures charged following recommendations from Special Counsel Robert Mueller, who led an inquiry into alleged ties between the Trump campaign and Russia.
The DOJ described the settlement as “an important step” toward correcting a “historic injustice” linked to Russiagate-related prosecutions. Flynn said he had been subjected to a “partisan pursuit that weaponized federal law enforcement in an audacious and unjust manner” and that the current leadership of the department has demonstrated commitment to tackling a “crisis of politicized justice.”
During the 2016 election cycle, the FBI surveyed members of Trump’s campaign in a controversial probe partly supported by the so-called Steele dossier – a compilation of unverified allegations about Trump’s connections to Russia, funded by Hillary Clinton’s campaign and compiled by a former British intelligence officer.
Flynn was dismissed just weeks into his role over misleading then-Vice President Mike Pence about conversations with the Russian ambassador. He later pleaded guilty to lying to the FBI regarding discussions over sanctions on Russian, though he subsequently claimed prosecutors violated an agreement by pursuing a prison sentence.
In November 2020, Trump pardoned Flynn after losing the election to Joe Biden. Flynn filed his lawsuit in 2023, when Biden’s Justice Department sought to have the case dismissed. That stance shifted after Trump returned to office in 2025.
Trump has long criticized the Russiagate investigation as a politically motivated “witch hunt,” a claim he extended to subsequent legal challenges he faced after leaving office. His second administration has also suggested possible reprisals against people it views as responsible for the investigations.
The president’s stance was underscored by his reaction to Mueller’s death this week, when Trump said he was “glad” because Mueller “can no longer hurt innocent people.”