President Trump announced plans to revoke security clearances from lawyers at Covington & Burling, a law firm assisting former special counsel Jack Smith in his investigations of Trump. This move marks an escalation in Trump’s campaign to retaliate against perceived adversaries. The executive order targets Covington lawyers, particularly Peter Koski, who provided pro bono legal advice to Smith. Trump’s memorandum also aims to halt any Covington legal work for the federal government, despite the firm reportedly having no existing contracts. Critics deem the action as vindictive and a threat to the integrity of legal and national security systems.
On Tuesday, President Trump announced that he would revoke security clearances from attorneys at a prominent Washington law firm that is providing assistance to a former special counsel who has investigated him, escalating his efforts to penalize those he views as opponents.
The action, which Mr. Trump signed on Tuesday, was aimed at the renowned law firm Covington & Burling, known for employing notable Democratic attorneys who served in the Obama and Biden administrations.
While signing executive orders in the Oval Office, Mr. Trump explained the initiative to the media and even offered to send the pen he used to Jack Smith, the special counsel leading the investigations into Mr. Trump.
This memorandum represents a significant escalation in Mr. Trump’s strategy to wield the extensive powers of the presidency against Mr. Smith and the prosecutors and federal agents associated with him, broadening this initiative to those providing pro bono legal assistance to Mr. Smith.
In a disclosure made to the Justice Department just before he resigned as special counsel—prior to Mr. Trump’s return to office—Mr. Smith, a former prosecutor for war crimes, noted that he had received $140,000 worth of legal advice from Covington to prepare for the investigations and actions led by Mr. Trump’s allies.
The directive mandated that the administration revoke any security clearance held by Peter Koski, the Covington attorney representing Mr. Smith, along with any other firm members involved in similar work.
In his initial month as president, Mr. Trump has worked to prevent a number of private citizens he opposes from holding security clearances, often targeting individuals who no longer held or needed them. In the case of Mr. Koski, the repercussions could be more severe, as revoking his clearance might restrict his access to sensitive government documents, particularly since both of Mr. Smith’s criminal investigations into Mr. Trump addressed classified materials. Such a move could significantly diminish Mr. Koski’s ability to provide defense.
Mark Zaid, a Washington attorney whose security clearance was also revoked by Mr. Trump, criticized Tuesday’s action as “vindictive and petty.”
Mr. Zaid expressed that news of further revocations of clearances for private practice attorneys “without any due process, simply because they represented someone the president disapproves of, is a disgraceful affront to the entire legal and national security framework.”
The memorandum from Mr. Trump also instructed agency heads to terminate any legal work by Covington on behalf of the government, though it remains uncertain if the firm is currently involved in any government matters. The memo called for a review of any government contracts with Covington, but it is unclear if any exist.
According to a source familiar with the firm’s operations, Covington is not a federal contractor.
A spokesperson for the firm emphasized its commitment to defending Mr. Smith and his interests.
“For over a century, Covington has represented clients facing government inquiries, in line with the best traditions of the legal field,” the statement read. “We recently agreed to represent Jack Smith when it became clear he would be the target of a governmental investigation. Covington serves as defense counsel to Jack Smith in his personal, individual capacity.”
The Trump administration has already indicated that Mr. Smith remains a target.
Earlier this month, when Attorney General Pam Bondi introduced her so-called Weaponization Working Group—dedicated to investigating those deemed adversaries by Mr. Trump—she stated that the group would also look into Mr. Smith.
Recently, Ed Martin, the interim U.S. attorney for the District of Columbia appointed by Trump, issued a concerning warning via social media shortly after Mr. Smith’s filing.
“Save your receipts, Smith and Covington. We’ll be in touch soon. #NoOneIsAboveTheLaw,” tweeted Mr. Martin, a right-leaning political figure who backed Mr. Trump’s expansive clemency for Capitol rioters.
As special counsel, Mr. Smith oversaw two criminal indictments against Mr. Trump in 2022, encompassing investigations related to Mr. Trump’s handling of classified documents after his first term, as well as his attempts to overturn the outcome of the 2020 election.
Both cases were dismissed following Mr. Trump’s re-election in November, in accordance with a longstanding Department of Justice policy that prohibits pursuing charges against a sitting president.