The Justice Department reached a settlement on Friday with two former F.B.I. officials, Peter Strzok and Lisa Page, who had accused the Trump administration of violating their privacy by sharing their disparaging texts about former President Donald J. Trump with the news media. The settlement concluded at least some of the litigation, with Mr. Strzok receiving $1.2 million, although the exact amount was not disclosed in court filings.
The texts between Mr. Strzok and Ms. Page, both former F.B.I. officials, caused a political controversy when the Justice Department allowed reporters to review them before submitting them to Congress in 2017. Mr. Strzok, a senior F.B.I. counterintelligence agent at the time, was involved in the investigation into the Trump campaign’s possible connections to Russia in 2016. The messages exchanged between Mr. Strzok and Ms. Page were used by Republicans to challenge the credibility of the investigation.
The settlement may provoke a reaction from Mr. Trump, who has criticized both officials and claimed that the investigation was a politically motivated “witch hunt” against him. Mr. Strzok had initiated the investigation by drafting the memo that was later approved by his superiors.
In 2019, Mr. Strzok and Ms. Page separately filed lawsuits against the Justice Department and the F.B.I. While the recent settlement resolves some claims, Mr. Strzok continues to pursue two other claims against the Justice Department, alleging violations of his constitutional rights and politically motivated termination. He is seeking reinstatement to his former position to secure full retirement benefits.
Aitan D. Goelman, Mr. Strzok’s lawyer, expressed satisfaction with the settlement outcome and stated his intention to pursue the remaining claims. He emphasized the significance of the settlement in addressing what he described as the government’s biased treatment of Mr. Strzok and the broader privacy concerns of government employees.
