President Donald Trump has taken a bold stance by suspending the security clearances for employees of the Perkins Coie law firm and instructing federal agencies to terminate contracts with the firm due to its connections with his 2016 Democratic political rival, Hillary Clinton. Trump’s order criticized Perkins Coie for hiring Fusion GPS to compile a dossier on Trump while representing Clinton, labeling their actions as “dishonest and dangerous.” The order also accused the firm of attempting to overturn election laws mandating voter identification.

This move marks the second time Trump has targeted a law firm he perceives as an adversary, having previously suspended security clearances for lawyers at Covington & Burling who aided former special counsel Jack Smith in indicting Trump before the charges were dropped post-election. Perkins Coie and Covington are known for representing clients challenging the Trump administration on various issues such as immigration and transgender rights.

The order against Perkins Coie requires federal contractors to disclose any ties to the firm and terminate related contracts. Access for the firm’s employees to federal government buildings is also restricted in the interest of national security. Additionally, the order accused Perkins Coie of race- and sex-based discrimination in its hiring practices related to diversity, equity, and inclusion policies, aligning with previous efforts by Trump to eliminate such policies in the federal government.

Notably, Perkins Coie faced legal action over its diversity fellowships in 2023, with accusations of excluding individuals based on race. Following this, the firm revised its fellowship criteria, leading to the dismissal of the lawsuit. Perkins Coie has responded to Trump’s order by labeling it as “patently unlawful” and expressing intent to challenge it.