President Donald Trump wielded his executive authority Thursday, signing an order to suspend security clearances for employees of Perkins Coie, a prominent law firm tied to the controversial Steele dossier that alleged ties between Trump and Russia during the 2016 election.
The executive action, titled “Addressing Risks from Perkins Coie LLP,” not only targets the firm’s role in past political controversies but also launches a broader assault on its diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) practices, accusing it of racial discrimination and anti-democratic activities.
The order, signed in the Oval Office amid other directives—like lifting 25% tariffs on USMCA-compliant goods—zeros in on Perkins Coie’s 2016 hiring of Fusion GPS to produce the dossier for Hillary Clinton’s campaign. Trump called it a “false ‘dossier’ designed to steal an election,” part of a “pattern” of misconduct that includes working with donors like George Soros to challenge voter ID laws.
“This is an absolute honor to sign,” Trump said, flanked by reporters. “What they’ve done is just terrible. It’s a weaponization against a political opponent, and it should never be allowed to happen again.”
Beyond the dossier, the order slams Perkins Coie’s DEI policies, alleging the firm set racial quotas in 2019 for hiring and promotions—practices it claims violate civil rights laws—until lawsuits forced a shift. “Those who engage in blatant race-based and sex-based discrimination … have engaged in a serious violation of the public trust,” the text reads, justifying the clearance suspension and a ban on federal contracts as a defense of “equality” and national security.
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The directive’s scope is sweeping: it suspends Perkins Coie employees’ access to classified materials, halts agency contracts with the firm, and restricts its staff from federal buildings unless waived by agency heads. It also mandates a 30-day review of all government ties to Perkins Coie, led by the Office of Management and Budget, and tasks the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission and Attorney General Pamela Bondi with probing large law firms’ DEI practices for Title VII compliance. Perkins Coie did not immediately respond to Axios’ request for comment.
This follows Trump’s move last week to strip clearances from Covington & Burling lawyers linked to Special Counsel Jack Smith’s failed prosecutions of him, signaling a pattern of targeting perceived foes.
The Perkins Coie order cites national security and democratic integrity, accusing the firm of “falsified documents designed to weaponize the Government” and “anti-democratic election changes that invite fraud.” It aligns with Trump’s January 20 Executive Order 14147, aimed at ending government “weaponization.”
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Critics see retribution dressed as policy; supporters call it accountability for partisan overreach. The Steele dossier—unverified and a lightning rod since 2017—fueled Russia probes but yielded no criminal charges against Trump, but fines for Hillary Clinton.
Perkins Coie’s legal battles, including a sanctioned case for lack of candor, amplify its villain status in Trump’s narrative. The order’s DEI focus dovetails with his broader anti-“woke” crusade, promising ripple effects across federal contracting.
As Trump remakes Washington, the Perkins Coie crackdown—captured by Getty Images’ Alex Wong—underscores a presidency flexing its muscle. Whether it’s tariffs or clearances, the message rings clear: opposition carries a steep price.
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