In October 2021, The Department of Justice (DOJ) reached a settlement with former FBI agents Peter Strzok and Lisa Page, colloquially labeled as the “lovebirds”. Strzok and Page attracted media and public attention due to a series of private, anti-Trump text messages they exchanged while engaging in an extramarital affair, and while both were involved in high-profile investigations related to then-President Donald Trump.
Both former agents sued the DOJ, arguing that the department violated the Privacy Act by releasing their private text messages to the media. The details of the settlements were not immediately disclosed. Following the settlement, the DOJ made an unusual apology, regretting the unauthorized disclosure of information about Strzok and Page.
The controversy surrounding Strzok and Page’s texts became a significant talking point for Trump and his allies, who used the texts to push a narrative that the FBI was biased against Trump in its investigations. Strzok, who was initially part of Robert S. Mueller III’s investigation into Russian interference in the 2016 election, was removed from the probe after the texts were discovered. He was later fired from the FBI. Page resigned from the agency.
