Expressing the sense of the House of Representatives that the Department of Justice must comply with the Domestic Emoluments Clause of the Constitution by refusing to administratively settle the billions of dollars in legal claims filed against the United States by President Donald Trump.
This House resolution expresses the chamber's view that the Department of Justice must refuse to settle President Donald Trump's legal claims against the federal government, arguing that doing so would violate the Domestic Emoluments Clause of the Constitution. The resolution specifically addresses a $10 billion lawsuit Trump filed in January 2026 against the Internal Revenue Service over the disclosure of his tax returns, as well as two earlier administrative claims totaling $230 million related to the Mar-a-Lago search and Russia investigation. The sponsors contend that allowing Trump to settle claims through his own subordinates in the executive branch would create an improper conflict of interest, making him "a judge in his own cause" in violation of constitutional principles and the intent of the Framers. While acknowledging that Trump has the right to pursue disputes in regular courts like any citizen, the resolution argues that federal agencies are constitutionally prohibited from administratively settling his claims or providing him monetary payments outside of his official presidential salary. The resolution is nonbinding and serves as a statement of the House's constitutional position on this matter.
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