Left: President Donald Trump speaks after signing an executive order in the Oval Office of the White House, Monday, Feb. 3, 2025, in Washington. (AP Photo/Evan Vucci). Right: Former special counsel Robert Mueller appears before a House Judiciary Committee hearing on his report on Russian election interference, on Capitol Hill, in Washington, Wednesday, July 24, 2019 (AP Photo/Andrew Harnik).
Donald Trump’s attack on perceived enemies continues apace, with the 45th and 47th president issuing yet another executive order targeting a law firm — this time, railing against a firm linked to former special counsel Robert Mueller, who led the investigation into alleged Russian collusion in the 2016 presidential election.
The chief executive issued an order on Friday titled “Addressing Risks from Paul Weiss,” labeling the law firm of Paul, Weiss, Rifkind, Wharton & Garrison LLP as a national security threat. Much of the language echoes that of an executive order issued earlier this month aimed at Hillary Clinton-linked law firm Perkins Coie, as well as a February order focused on the firm Covington & Burling, linked to former special prosecutor Jack Smith.
The president raised a familiar list of grievances relating to lawsuits sparked by the Jan. 6 attack on the U.S. Capitol and his criminal prosecution in Manhattan.
From the order:
In 2021, a Paul Weiss partner and former leading prosecutor in the office of Special Counsel Robert Mueller brought a pro bono suit against individuals alleged to have participated in the events that occurred at or near the United States Capitol on January 6, 2021, on behalf of the District of Columbia Attorney General.
In 2022, Paul Weiss hired unethical attorney Mark Pomerantz, who had previously left Paul Weiss to join the Manhattan District Attorney’s office solely to manufacture a prosecution against me and who, according to his co-workers, unethically led witnesses in ways designed to implicate me. After being unable to convince even Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg that a fraud case was feasible, Pomerantz engaged in a media campaign to gin up support for this unwarranted prosecution.
Trump also accuses the firm — and others — of racial discrimination and takes the opportunity to tout his administration’s efforts to end diversity, equity and inclusion efforts.
“Paul Weiss, along with nearly every other large, influential, or industry leading law firm, makes decisions around ‘targets’ based on race and sex,” the order says, without providing support for this claim. The order adds: “Those who engage in blatant discrimination and other activities inconsistent with the interests of the United States should not have access to our Nation’s secrets nor be deemed responsible stewards of any Federal funds.”
As with prior memos, Trump ordered various agency heads to “immediately take steps consistent with applicable law to suspend any active security clearances” held by individuals at the firm. He also ordered the Office of Management and Budget to “identify all Government goods, property, material, and services, including Sensitive Compartmented Information Facilities, provided for the benefit of Paul Weiss” — and that such provisions be ceased “expeditiously.”
The order directs government agencies to require contractors to “disclose any business they do with Paul Weiss” and take steps to terminate those contracts.
Agency heads have also been ordered to “otherwise align their agency funding decisions with the interests of the citizens of the United States; with the goals and priorities of my Administration as expressed in executive actions, especially Executive Order 14147 of January 20, 2025 (Ending the Weaponization of the Federal Government); and as heads of agencies deem appropriate.”
Trump ordered an assessment of Paul Weiss contracts with the government within 30 days. He also ordered agency heads to limit “official access from Federal Government buildings” to employees of the firm “when such access would threaten the national security of or otherwise be inconsistent with the interests of the United States.”
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