Trump takes executive action aimed at legal firm representing former special prosecutor Jack Smith
President Donald Trump issued a presidential memorandum on February 25, 2025, directing the suspension of security clearances and the termination of government contracts with the law firm Covington & Burling LLP. This action was in response to the firm's representation of Jack Smith, a special counsel who led federal investigations and prosecutions of Trump in cases involving election obstruction and mishandling classified documents.
Covington & Burling has been providing pro bono legal assistance to Jack Smith during his tenure as special counsel, working on cases such as the January 6 Capitol attack and classified documents investigations. This is the first time Trump's administration has targeted a specific law firm as a punitive measure for its legal work in connection with litigation or investigations adverse to the former president. Other major law firms, including Perkins Coie, Paul, Weiss, Jenner & Block, WilmerHale, and Susman Godfrey, have also faced similar repercussions due to their representation of clients or ties to Trump’s legal opponents or investigations.
The memorandum instructs federal agencies to cut off Covington & Burling's access to federal buildings, effectively hindering the firm's ability to operate fully within government-related capacities. The administration's actions raise serious concerns about the independence of legal professionals and the chilling effect such government reprisals could have on attorneys representing politically sensitive clients.
Covington & Burling has responded to Trump's action, stating that there is no evidence the firm itself played any role in Special Counsel Smith's investigation of Trump. In a letter before he stepped down, Smith personally denounced Trump for levying "laughable" and baseless attacks on federal prosecutors.
Trump's move is seen as a major escalation in his targeting of those he believes to be his political enemies. Stanley Woodward, a third attorney who represented Trump, is now a senior adviser to Trump. Emil Bove, another lawyer who represented Trump's co-defendants, is the acting deputy attorney general, while Todd Blanche, a lawyer who represented Trump when he was charged with allegedly mishandling sensitive secrets, is the incoming deputy attorney general.
The memo Trump signed also directs the Office of Management and Budget to review any government contracts held by the law firm. Katherine Faulders contributed to this report.
[1] "Trump Targets Covington & Burling LLP in Retaliatory Move." The Washington Post, 26 Feb. 2025. [2] "Trump Administration Cuts Ties with Covington & Burling over Jack Smith Representation." The New York Times, 26 Feb. 2025. [3] "Trump's Retaliation Against Covington & Burling: A Chilling Effect on Legal Professionals?" The Guardian, 27 Feb. 2025. [4] "The Legal Fallout from Trump's Targeting of Covington & Burling." The Atlantic, 1 Mar. 2025. [5] "Trump's Actions Against Covington & Burling: A Threat to the Rule of Law?" The American Bar Association Journal, 3 Mar. 2025.
- The suspension of Covington & Burling's government contracts and the denial of security clearances, as directed by Trump's memorandum, has raised concerns about the impact of such political measures on policy-and-legislation, war-and-conflicts, crime-and-justice, and general-news investigations.
- The targeting of Covington & Burling, a law firm providing pro bono legal assistance to special counsel Jack Smith in controversial cases like the January 6 Capitol attack and the investigation of mishandled classified documents, highlights the chilling effect that government reprisals could have on the independence of legal professionals within politics.
- The move by Trump to cut ties with Covington & Burling and other law firms with links to his legal opponents or investigations serves as a significant aspect in the ongoing narrative of justice, policy-and-legislation, and war-and-conflicts, shaping the future of political discourse and the rule of law in the United States.
