Mar 12, 2025 - Politics & Policy

Federal judge blocks parts of Trump's executive order targeting large law firm

April Rubin

Trump holds up a signed executive order. A map reading "Gulf of America" is visible behind him. — President Trump signs executive orders in the Oval Office of the White House on March 6 in Washington, D.C. Photo: Alex Wong/Getty Images

A federal judge on Wednesday temporarily blocked parts of President Trump's executive order targeting law firm Perkins Coie.

Why it matters: The law firm, which appealed to the court to issue a restraining order, claimed that Trump's directive violated its rights to free speech and due process.

U.S. District Judge Beryl Howell temporarily blocked the administration from barring the law firm's employees from entering federal buildings.

Zoom in: Proposed text for the temporary restraining order applied to sections of Trump's executive order concerning diversity, building access, contracting and personnel.

It doesn't address Trump's removal of security clearances of the law firm's employees.
Pam Bondi, U.S. attorney general, and Russell Vought, director of the Office of Management and Budget, were ordered to issue guidance to other agencies to suspend and rescind their enforcements of these parts of Trump's order.

Context: On March 6, Trump directed federal agencies to end their contracts with Perkins Coie and limit its lawyers' access to federal buildings.

He also called for an end to its lawyers' security clearances.
The law firm represented Hillary Clinton's 2016 presidential campaign and played a key role in commissioning the Steele dossier on Trump's alleged interactions with Russia.

Go deeper: Trump strips security clearances of law firm over Steele dossier

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Federal judge blocks parts of Trump's executive order targeting large law firm

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