Administrative claims are preliminary steps before potential lawsuits against the government. They are filed with the Justice Department using a Standard Form 95 to determine whether a settlement can be reached before litigation. Any settlement exceeding $4 million must be approved by the deputy or associate attorney general, positions now held by officials who previously represented Trump or his associates.

Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche, who served as Trump’s lead criminal defense attorney, stated during his February confirmation hearing that his attorney-client relationship with the president continued. The department’s civil division chief, Stanley Woodward Jr., previously represented Trump’s co-defendant Walt Nauta and several aides, including Kash Patel, in related federal investigations.