Trump aims at well-known law firm with Democratic ties
A central figure in the creation of the Steele dossier was one of the firm's attorneys at the time.
TroibNews 
On Thursday, President Donald Trump signed an executive order aimed at Perkins Coie, a well-known law firm based in Seattle that frequently represents Democratic and liberal organizations.
This executive action suspends the security clearances of employees at Perkins Coie, which has a history of providing legal services to the Democratic National Committee, various Democratic entities, and campaigns like Hillary Clinton's 2016 presidential bid.
The firm played a significant role in commissioning the controversial "Steele dossier," released shortly before Trump took office in 2017. Former British intelligence officer Christopher Steele was hired by Fusion GPS, a research firm contracted by Perkins Coie, to investigate Trump's overseas business ties.
“This is an absolute honor to sign. What they've done is, it's just terrible,” Trump remarked as he finalized the order. “Weaponization — you could say weaponization against a political opponent — and it should never be allowed to happen again.”
Perkins Coie has yet to respond to a request for comment. Although the firm continues to work with Democrats, the extent of that work has diminished since prominent Democratic attorney Marc Elias, an integral figure in the dossier's commissioning, departed in 2021 to start his own firm focused on elections.
This latest move adds to Trump's ongoing efforts to hold accountable those he perceives as political adversaries. Last month, he issued a similar presidential memorandum that terminated the security clearances of personnel at Covington & Burling, a law firm that provided pro bono legal services to special counsel Jack Smith, who brought two criminal cases against Trump that were discontinued after he won the election last November.
Trump had previously revoked security clearances of former intelligence officials who signed a letter expressing concerns that Hunter Biden’s hard drive indicated a foreign influence operation, a claim that was later proven false. He also suspended the security clearance of Mark Zaid, a leading whistleblower attorney who represented the intelligence official that helped instigate Trump's impeachment in 2020.
Additionally, Trump has rescinded security details for individuals who have criticized or opposed him publicly, including former Secretary of State Mike Pompeo.
The executive order mandates the termination of any federal contracts held by Perkins Coie, although a federal spending database does not indicate any current contracts with the government.
Furthermore, it initiates a “holistic review of unlawful DEI practices” at major law firms, aligning with Trump’s broader campaign against diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives nationwide. Perkins Coie faced a lawsuit regarding its diversity fellowship program in 2023 before deciding to expand eligibility to all first-year law students.
This review, which will be conducted by the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, will focus on large, influential law firms and assess whether they allocate specific positions, promote individuals, or grant access to clients or educational opportunities based on race.
During the signing of the executive order, Trump mentioned his belief that further actions should be taken against others involved in the FBI's investigation into potential connections between Russia and his 2016 campaign, but he indicated that such decisions rest with Attorney General Pam Bondi and her team.
Bondi has initiated a “Weaponization Working Group” to evaluate officials who investigated Trump, including Smith, Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg, and New York Attorney General Letitia James.
Sophie Wagner contributed to this report for TROIB News
This executive action suspends the security clearances of employees at Perkins Coie, which has a history of providing legal services to the Democratic National Committee, various Democratic entities, and campaigns like Hillary Clinton's 2016 presidential bid.
The firm played a significant role in commissioning the controversial "Steele dossier," released shortly before Trump took office in 2017. Former British intelligence officer Christopher Steele was hired by Fusion GPS, a research firm contracted by Perkins Coie, to investigate Trump's overseas business ties.
“This is an absolute honor to sign. What they've done is, it's just terrible,” Trump remarked as he finalized the order. “Weaponization — you could say weaponization against a political opponent — and it should never be allowed to happen again.”
Perkins Coie has yet to respond to a request for comment. Although the firm continues to work with Democrats, the extent of that work has diminished since prominent Democratic attorney Marc Elias, an integral figure in the dossier's commissioning, departed in 2021 to start his own firm focused on elections.
This latest move adds to Trump's ongoing efforts to hold accountable those he perceives as political adversaries. Last month, he issued a similar presidential memorandum that terminated the security clearances of personnel at Covington & Burling, a law firm that provided pro bono legal services to special counsel Jack Smith, who brought two criminal cases against Trump that were discontinued after he won the election last November.
Trump had previously revoked security clearances of former intelligence officials who signed a letter expressing concerns that Hunter Biden’s hard drive indicated a foreign influence operation, a claim that was later proven false. He also suspended the security clearance of Mark Zaid, a leading whistleblower attorney who represented the intelligence official that helped instigate Trump's impeachment in 2020.
Additionally, Trump has rescinded security details for individuals who have criticized or opposed him publicly, including former Secretary of State Mike Pompeo.
The executive order mandates the termination of any federal contracts held by Perkins Coie, although a federal spending database does not indicate any current contracts with the government.
Furthermore, it initiates a “holistic review of unlawful DEI practices” at major law firms, aligning with Trump’s broader campaign against diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives nationwide. Perkins Coie faced a lawsuit regarding its diversity fellowship program in 2023 before deciding to expand eligibility to all first-year law students.
This review, which will be conducted by the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, will focus on large, influential law firms and assess whether they allocate specific positions, promote individuals, or grant access to clients or educational opportunities based on race.
During the signing of the executive order, Trump mentioned his belief that further actions should be taken against others involved in the FBI's investigation into potential connections between Russia and his 2016 campaign, but he indicated that such decisions rest with Attorney General Pam Bondi and her team.
Bondi has initiated a “Weaponization Working Group” to evaluate officials who investigated Trump, including Smith, Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg, and New York Attorney General Letitia James.
Sophie Wagner contributed to this report for TROIB News
