Trump’s Bold Move: Executive Order Targets Perkins Coie, Shaking Up Political and Legal Landscapes
President Donald Trump signed an executive order on March 6, 2025, suspending security clearances for employees of Perkins Coie, a law firm tied to the discredited Steele Dossier from the 2016 election.
The order reflects Trump’s ongoing campaign against perceived “lawfare” and “weaponization” of government resources, targeting firms and individuals involved in past investigations of his administration.
In a striking escalation of his administration’s efforts to address what he describes as political persecution, President Donald Trump signed an executive order on Thursday, March 6, 2025, targeting Perkins Coie, a prominent law firm with deep ties to Democratic political activities. The order suspends security clearances for the firm’s employees, marking a significant move in Trump’s broader campaign to dismantle what he calls the “weaponization” of government resources and legal mechanisms against his administration.
Perkins Coie gained notoriety during the 2016 presidential election for its role in commissioning the Steele Dossier, a controversial document compiled by former British intelligence officer Christopher Steele. The dossier, funded through the Democratic National Committee (DNC) and Hillary Clinton’s campaign via Perkins Coie, alleged connections between Trump’s campaign and Russia. While it fueled early investigations into Russian interference, much of its content was later discredited or found unsubstantiated, becoming a focal point of contention for Trump and his supporters. The firm’s involvement in this high-profile matter has long drawn criticism from Trump allies, who accuse it of enabling political “lawfare” against the president.
The executive order goes beyond merely symbolic gestures. It suspends security clearances for Perkins Coie employees, restricting their access to sensitive federal resources and government buildings. This action is part of a pattern under Trump’s administration, which has previously revoked clearances for intelligence officials, former President Joe Biden, and other figures perceived as critics or adversaries. For instance, Trump revoked clearances for dozens of officials linked to a 2020 letter questioning the authenticity of Hunter Biden’s laptop, as well as for retired Joint Chiefs Chairman General Mark Milley. The move against Perkins Coie also follows a similar order last week targeting Covington & Burling, another law firm, for its role in assisting former Special Counsel Jack Smith in prosecutions against Trump.
Trump’s order also directs federal agencies to review contracts with Perkins Coie and potentially terminate business relationships, citing the firm’s diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) practices and political activities as national security concerns. During an Oval Office signing event, Trump aide Will Scharf emphasized that the order aims to “suspend security clearances and access to certain federal resources” while launching a “holistic review” of unlawful practices at major law firms. This reflects Trump’s stated commitment, reiterated since his inauguration, to “end forever the weaponization of government and the abuse of law enforcement against political opponents.”
The decision has already sparked sharp reactions. Perkins Coie issued a statement calling the executive order “patently unlawful” and signaling intent to challenge it legally. Critics argue that the move is punitive, politically motivated, and risks undermining the impartiality of government institutions. Supporters, however, see it as a necessary step to drain what they describe as a “swamp” of entrenched political bias, with some hailing it as a victory against the lingering effects of the Russia investigation, often referred to as the “Russia hoax” by Trump and his allies.
This executive action underscores Trump’s strategy of targeting legal and political entities he believes targeted him during his first term and beyond. The Steele Dossier, though a small part of the broader Russia investigation led by Special Counsel Robert Mueller, became a lightning rod for Trump’s claims of unfair treatment. Mueller’s 2019 report ultimately found insufficient evidence to charge Trump or his campaign with conspiring with Russia, but the dossier’s role in sparking the probe has remained a sore point for the president.
As of March 6, 2025, the long-term implications of this order remain uncertain. Legal challenges from Perkins Coie and potential backlash from Democrats and legal experts could test the administration’s authority and the order’s constitutionality. Meanwhile, Trump’s supporters celebrate it as a decisive step toward accountability, while critics warn of a dangerous precedent for politicizing security clearances and federal contracts. In the polarized landscape of American politics, this move is likely to intensify debates over the balance between political retribution and national security, keeping the nation’s attention fixed on the ongoing clash between Trump’s administration and its perceived adversaries.