Former FBI agent Pete Strzok, who was dismissed from his position in 2018 following the public release of his critical text messages about Donald Trump, has settled a lawsuit with the Justice Department, according to his attorneys. The government has agreed to pay Strzok $1.2 million as part of the settlement.
Strzok’s lawsuit, filed in 2019, argued that the FBI and DOJ improperly disclosed his private texts, which were critical of Trump. These messages were sent during a period when Strzok was involved in high-profile investigations, including the probe into Hillary Clinton’s private email server and the investigation into Russian interference in the 2016 presidential election.
Trump frequently criticized Strzok on social media, suggesting that Strzok’s personal biases affected the early stages of the Russia investigation. When the DOJ’s inspector general found the texts between Strzok and then-FBI lawyer Lisa Page, Strzok was moved from his role in the special counsel’s office to a lower-level human resources position before being ultimately fired.
Strzok’s lawsuit claimed that his dismissal was a violation of his First Amendment rights, arguing that he was fired due to his protected political speech. Following the settlement, Strzok’s lawyer, Aitan Goelman, stated that the outcome is a significant step toward addressing the unjust and politically motivated treatment Strzok received. He also emphasized that the settlement upholds the privacy rights of all government employees.