Key facts
- Donald Trump's lawyers argued a federal court has no authority to oversee a settlement reached after his lawsuit was dismissed.
- The settlement involved an 'anti-weaponization fund' and protections from IRS audits for Trump's family and businesses.
- 35 former federal judges urged the court to reopen the case, calling it a sham and alleging the court was defrauded.
- Judge Kathleen Williams had previously questioned potential collusion due to Trump's control over both parties.
- Trump's attorneys deny collusion existed and argue the settlement is a rational litigation decision.
Attorneys for Donald Trump have urged a federal judge to cease her inquiry into a dismissed lawsuit, asserting that the court has no jurisdiction to oversee the terms of a subsequent settlement with the Justice Department. The filing argues that the settlement, which includes an "anti-weaponization fund" and protections from IRS audits for Trump's family and businesses, is evidence of a rational litigation decision, not collusion.
Earlier, U.S. District Court Judge Kathleen Williams had questioned potential collusion, given Trump's ultimate control over both his legal team and the U.S. government, especially after 35 former federal judges called the lawsuit a sham and asked for it to be reopened. Judge Williams had described these allegations as "grievous" and ordered Trump's attorneys to respond. However, Trump's legal team contends that once the case was dismissed, the court's role concluded, regardless of the settlement's validity. They also stressed that Trump's sons and the Trump Organization were plaintiffs alongside him. The filing further states that if the judge reopens the case, Trump will immediately seek to have it shut down by the 11th Circuit Court of Appeals.