News - DOJ Settles with Former Trump Aide over FBI Surveillance

The United States Department of Justice has reached a settlement with Carter Page, a former aide to Donald Trump during the 2016 presidential campaign, following his lawsuit alleging unwarranted surveillance by the FBI as part of the Russiagate probe. Page's lawsuit, filed in 2020, claimed he was subjected to 'unlawful spying' due to inaccuracies and misconduct in the FBI's applications to the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Court (FISC) in 2016 and 2017. The FBI's surveillance of Page became a focal point due to its reliance on the Steele dossier, a controversial document funded by Hillary Clinton’s campaign, which alleged Trump’s connections to Russia. Despite these accusations, Page was never formally charged and has persistently denied any wrongdoing. His lawsuit faced multiple dismissals in lower courts before reaching a resolution with the Trump administration. Though the exact amount remains unspecified, reports suggest the settlement sums to approximately $1.25 million. This agreement does not encompass Page's allegations against former FBI officials who played central roles in the investigation. Amidst ongoing efforts to address the consequences of the Russiagate inquiry, the DOJ is simultaneously handling a backlog of related lawsuits in the Biden era. Earlier this year, the Department also resolved a case with Michael Flynn, ex-Trump national security adviser, concluding with a $1.2 million settlement. Flynn’s settlement was presented as a corrective step in redressing injustices perpetrated during the Russiagate investigations.