Addressing Risks from Perkins Coie LLP

Executive Orders

TLDR

This executive order suspends security clearances for Perkins Coie LLP employees, halts their sensitive facility access, requires contractors to disclose ties with the firm, limits their access to federal buildings, and orders a review of large law firms’ DEI practices. It cites alleged creation of a “false dossier” in 2016, working with “activist donors” on election laws, and racial discrimination through diversity initiatives. The order could deter firms from political work, disrupt government legal matters, affect diversity programs, establish precedent for political retaliation via security clearance revocation, and limit affected attorneys’ career options.

President Donald Trump signed an executive order suspending security clearances for attorneys at Perkins Coie LLP, a prominent law firm that played a role in the 2016 presidential campaign opposition research against him. The order represents the latest in a series of retributive actions targeting perceived adversaries from his first term.

The executive order contains several major components:

  • Directs the Attorney General, Director of National Intelligence, and other agency heads to immediately suspend active security clearances held by Perkins Coie employees pending review.

  • Halts all sensitive compartmented information facility access currently provided to Perkins Coie.

  • Requires federal contractors to disclose business relationships with Perkins Coie and instructs agencies to review and potentially terminate contracts with the firm.

  • Limits Perkins Coie employees’ access to federal buildings and discourages federal agencies from hiring them without special waivers.

  • Orders a review of large law firms’ diversity, equity, and inclusion practices for potential violations of Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964.

The executive order cites several justifications:

  • Trump claims Perkins Coie “manufactured a false ‘dossier’ designed to steal an election” when it hired Fusion GPS during the 2016 campaign. The firm had retained Fusion GPS in April 2016 to conduct opposition research on Trump’s ties to Russia, which ultimately led to the Steele dossier.

  • The order accuses the firm of working with “activist donors” to overturn election laws, including voter ID requirements.

  • Claims Perkins Coie engaged in racial discrimination through its diversity initiatives, including “percentage quotas” for hiring and promotion.

This executive order could have significant implications for law firms and professionals who rely on security clearances:

  • The order may deter law firms from representing political clients or conducting opposition research for fear of similar retribution. This could create a chilling effect on attorneys’ willingness to take on politically sensitive cases.

  • Law firms with security clearances often handle sensitive government matters. The order could disrupt ongoing legal work for government agencies and contractors.

  • The order’s focus on investigating law firms’ diversity programs may cause firms to reconsider or scale back such initiatives to avoid federal scrutiny.

  • The action establishes a precedent for using security clearance revocation as a tool for political retaliation, potentially affecting other firms or professionals who oppose administration policies.

  • Attorneys and staff at targeted firms may face significant career limitations if they cannot obtain or maintain security clearances necessary for certain types of legal work.

The executive order represents a significant escalation in Trump’s efforts to target perceived opponents from his first term, moving beyond government officials to now include private sector attorneys. Critics may view this as an attempt to deter future investigations into his conduct, while supporters might see it as accountability for what they perceive as politically motivated actions during the 2016 campaign.

By the authority vested in me as President by the Constitution and the laws of the United States of America, it is hereby ordered:

Section 1.

Purpose.

The dishonest and dangerous activity of the law firm Perkins Coie LLP (“Perkins Coie”) has affected this country for decades. Notably, in 2016 while representing failed Presidential candidate Hillary Clinton, Perkins Coie hired Fusion GPS, which then manufactured a false “dossier” designed to steal an election. This egregious activity is part of a pattern. Perkins Coie has worked with activist donors including George Soros to judicially overturn popular, necessary, and democratically enacted election laws, including those requiring voter identification. In one such case, a court was forced to sanction Perkins Coie attorneys for an unethical lack of candor before the court.

In addition to undermining democratic elections, the integrity of our courts, and honest law enforcement, Perkins Coie racially discriminates against its own attorneys and staff, and against applicants. Perkins Coie publicly announced percentage quotas in 2019 for hiring and promotion on the basis of race and other categories prohibited by civil rights laws. It proudly excluded applicants on the basis of race for its fellowships, and it maintained these discriminatory practices until applicants harmed by them finally sued to enforce change.

My Administration is committed to ending discrimination under “diversity, equity, and inclusion” policies and ensuring that Federal benefits support the laws and policies of the United States, including those laws and policies promoting our national security and respecting the democratic process. Those who engage in blatant race-based and sex-based discrimination, including quotas, but purposefully hide the nature of such discrimination through deceiving language, have engaged in a serious violation of the public trust. Their disrespect for the bedrock principle of equality represents good cause to conclude that they neither have access to our Nation’s secrets nor be deemed responsible stewards of any Federal funds.

Sec. 2.

Security Clearance Review.

(a) The Attorney General, the Director of National Intelligence, and all other relevant heads of executive departments and agencies (agencies) shall immediately take steps consistent with applicable law to suspend any active security clearances held by individuals at Perkins Coie, pending a review of whether such clearances are consistent with the national interest.

(b) The Office of Management and Budget shall identify all Government goods, property, material, and services, including Sensitive Compartmented Information Facilities, provided for the benefit of Perkins Coie. The heads of all agencies providing such material or services shall, to the extent permitted by law, expeditiously cease such provision.

Sec. 3.

Contracting.

(a) To prevent the transfer of taxpayer dollars to Federal contractors whose earnings subsidize, among other things, racial discrimination, falsified documents designed to weaponize the Government against candidates for office, and anti-democratic election changes that invite fraud and distrust, Government contracting agencies shall, to the extent permissible by law, require Government contractors to disclose any business they do with Perkins Coie and whether that business is related to the subject of the Government contract.

(b) The heads of all agencies shall review all contracts with Perkins Coie or with entities that disclose doing business with Perkins Coie under subsection (a) of this section. To the extent permitted by law, the heads of agencies shall:

(i) take appropriate steps to terminate any contract, to the maximum extent permitted by applicable law, including the Federal Acquisition Regulation, for which Perkins Coie has been hired to perform any service;

(ii) 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. Within 30 days of the date of this order, all agencies shall submit to the Director of the Office of Management and Budget an assessment of contracts with Perkins Coie or with entities that do business with Perkins Coie effective as of the date of this order and any actions taken with respect to those contracts in accordance with this order.

Sec. 4.

Racial Discrimination.

(a) The Chair of the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission shall review the practices of representative large, influential, or industry leading law firms for consistency with Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, including whether large law firms: reserve certain positions, such as summer associate spots, for individuals of preferred races; promote individuals on a discriminatory basis; permit client access on a discriminatory basis; or provide access to events, trainings, or travel on a discriminatory basis.

(b) The Attorney General, in coordination with the Chair of the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission and in consultation with State Attorneys General as appropriate, shall investigate the practices of large law firms as described in subsection (a) of this section who do business with Federal entities for compliance with race-based and sex-based non-discrimination laws and take any additional actions the Attorney General deems appropriate in light of the evidence uncovered.

Sec. 5.

Personnel.

(a) The heads of all agencies shall, to the extent permitted by law, provide guidance limiting official access from Federal Government buildings to employees of Perkins Coie when such access would threaten the national security of or otherwise be inconsistent with the interests of the United States. In addition, the heads of all agencies shall provide guidance limiting Government employees acting in their official capacity from engaging with Perkins Coie employees to ensure consistency with the national security and other interests of the United States.

(b) Agency officials shall, to the extent permitted by law, refrain from hiring employees of Perkins Coie, absent a waiver from the head of the agency, made in consultation with the Director of the Office of Personnel Management, that such hire will not threaten the national security of the United States.

Sec. 6.

General Provisions.

(a) Nothing in this order shall be construed to impair or otherwise affect:

(i) the authority granted by law to an executive department or agency, or the head thereof; or

(ii) the functions of the Director of the Office of Management and Budget relating to budgetary, administrative, or legislative proposals.

(b) This order shall be implemented consistent with applicable law and subject to the availability of appropriations.

© This order is not intended to, and does not, create any right or benefit, substantive or procedural, enforceable at law or in equity by any party against the United States, its departments, agencies, or entities, its officers, employees, or agents, or any other person.

DONALD J. TRUMP THE WHITE HOUSE,
March 6, 2025.