On Wednesday, May 14, 2025, MSNBC reported that the Trump administration has taken steps to suspend security clearances of lawyers from WilmerHale, a law firm targeted by an executive order, as part of ongoing legal disputes.

According to a court filing submitted to U.S. District Judge Richard Leon, two WilmerHale attorneys received letters from a government agency notifying them of the suspension of their security clearances. The filing, presented by attorney Paul Clement on behalf of the firm, did not disclose the specific agency involved but offered to provide the letters to the court under seal if requested.

WilmerHale is one of several law firms facing actions from the Trump administration, with some firms pursuing legal challenges in response. The court filing emphasized the need for judicial intervention to halt the implementation of the executive order and to reverse any actions already taken, such as the suspension of security clearances. Specifically, Clement requested that the court nullify and reverse any clearance suspensions or revocations for WilmerHale personnel, stop any ongoing reviews of their clearances initiated under the executive order, and cease any other related actions.

In March, Judge Leon issued a temporary restraining order against portions of the executive order targeting WilmerHale but did not block the section concerning security clearances, citing the authority of the executive branch. A hearing was held last month to consider further relief for the firm, with a ruling still pending. The executive order references WilmerHale’s association with Robert Mueller, who was affiliated with the firm before and after serving as special counsel investigating Trump during his first term.

In a related case, U.S. District Judge Beryl Howell issued a ruling this month blocking a similar executive order against another law firm, Perkins Coie, which had also filed a lawsuit. Howell’s decision questioned the administration’s claim that national security concerns justified the restrictions on security clearances. She pointed to a separate case involving the law firm Paul Weiss, which reached an agreement with the Trump administration, leading to the revocation of the order against it. Howell noted that the swift reversal of the Paul Weiss order, which was based on agreements to support Trump administration policy initiatives, suggested that national security was not a credible basis for the clearance restrictions.

The Trump administration has consistently cited national security as the rationale for its actions against WilmerHale and other targeted firms.

 

 

Source: MSNBC