WASHINGTON (AP) — President Donald Trump announced on Thursday that he intends to revoke the security clearances of lawyers from a well-known law firm associated with Democratic-funded opposition research during the 2016 presidential election regarding potential connections between the Republican candidate and Russia. The move against Perkins Coie is part of a series of retaliatory actions by Trump and his administration targeting various individuals, including Justice Department prosecutors, seasoned intelligence officials, and now, private attorneys. These actions not only seek to settle past grievances but also serve as a warning to government and private sector workers against engaging in new investigations into Trump’s behavior.
Upon signing the executive order at the Oval Office, Trump stated, “This is an absolute disgrace. Their actions are unacceptable. It’s a form of weaponization—using it against a political opponent, and this should not be tolerated in the future.” The order instructs the attorney general, the director of national intelligence, and other relevant agency heads to suspend the security clearances of Perkins Coie employees while a review is conducted to determine the national interest in maintaining these clearances. The exact number of lawyers at the firm with security clearances is not specified, and Perkins Coie did not immediately respond to requests for comment.
Additionally, the order directs agency heads to limit the firm’s access to government facilities if such access would jeopardize national security or conflict with U.S. interests, and to terminate any contracts with the firm. A spokesperson for Perkins Coie declared, “We have examined the Executive Order and find it to be clearly unlawful. We plan to challenge it.”
The punishment stems from Perkins Coie’s hiring of Fusion GPS, a research and intelligence company, to conduct opposition research on Trump’s potential ties to Russia. The deal was facilitated by Marc Elias, a former partner at Perkins Coie and lead attorney for Hillary Clinton’s 2016 presidential campaign. Fusion GPS then enlisted former British spy Christopher Steele to compile a dossier of research that made its way to journalists and government officials in Washington. Although the dossier was submitted to the FBI for review, it has been widely discredited for containing unverified and sensational claims linking Trump to Russia.
Former FBI Director James Comey briefed Trump on the dossier before his inauguration, sparking controversy. Special Counsel John Durham’s 2023 report on the FBI’s Russia investigation revealed that efforts to corroborate Steele’s claims were fruitless. Despite the dossier’s questionable credibility, Steele has defended his work.
The revelation of the dossier in early 2017 added to the political turmoil, particularly when it was disclosed that the Clinton campaign and the Democratic National Committee were involved in its creation.
Funding for the dossier has raised doubts about the credibility of Steele’s research, which President Trump repeatedly criticized as “fake” and incorrect. Trump and his supporters have attempted to use flaws in the dossier to cast doubt on the entire investigation into links between his 2016 campaign and Russia. However, the investigation began prior to FBI agents receiving the dossier, triggered by a separate tip that a Trump campaign aide had information suggesting Russia possessed damaging material on Hillary Clinton before the Russian hacking of Democratic emails was known. While Special Counsel Robert Mueller did not find evidence of criminal collusion between Russia and the Trump campaign to influence the election, the investigation did uncover the Kremlin’s extensive efforts to aid the Republican candidate and indications that the campaign welcomed this support.
Since assuming office, the Trump administration has ousted Justice Department prosecutors involved in Jack Smith’s investigation and revoked security clearances of attorneys and former intelligence officials who supported a letter implicating the Hunter Biden laptop controversy as potentially Russian disinformation. Additionally, an executive order has accused the law firm Perkins Coie of engaging in illegal diversity, equity, and inclusion practices. Attorney General Pam Bondi has also directed the Department’s civil rights division to probe and penalize what are labeled as unlawful DEI policies in private sector businesses and educational institutions receiving federal funds.
